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碩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
shuògreat, eminent; large, bigx, 14 strokes, radical 石, Very Hard
shuò(shuo4) T4
  1. 1great, eminent; large, big
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

shuò(shuo4)

The character 碩 (shuò) generally means 'great' or 'eminent,' often used to describe someone of high status or significant achievement. It can also imply size, denoting something that is large or substantial. You might encounter this term in academic or formal contexts, especially when referring to qualifications or accomplishments.

Strokes14RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese academia, the term 碩士 is widely recognized and reflects the importance of education and qualifications in society. A master's degree is often seen as a significant achievement, denoting a level of expertise and status.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant book (representing knowledge) sitting on a huge rock. The rock is 碩, towering over everything, symbolizing greatness and importance. The sound 'shuò' can remind you of 'show'—showing off greatness!

Meanings of 碩

shuò(shuo4)
1great, eminent; large, big
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 碩

Simplified
14Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 碩

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AI Study Notes for 碩

Quick Contrast

硕 (shuò) vs 大 (dà) — use 碩 for formal or academic contexts, while 大 is more general and can refer to size in everyday language.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant book (representing knowledge) sitting on a huge rock. The rock is 碩, towering over everything, symbolizing greatness and importance. The sound 'shuò' can remind you of 'show'—showing off greatness!

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 碩 with similar-sounding terms that have different meanings. It is more common in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversation. It often collocates with words like '士' (shì, gentleman) to form 碩士, meaning 'master's degree.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 碩 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary, especially for those preparing for higher education or professional contexts in Chinese. Focus on its usage in formal discussions or when describing qualifications.

Cultural Note

In Chinese academia, the term 碩士 is widely recognized and reflects the importance of education and qualifications in society. A master's degree is often seen as a significant achievement, denoting a level of expertise and status.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 碩 with smaller terms like 小 (xiǎo, small) due to pronunciation challenges. Remember that 碩 conveys greatness or largeness, while 小 indicates the opposite.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 碩

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Etymology of 碩

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Like a sheet 頁 of stone 石

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 碩?

Decomposition of 碩

IDS Structure⿰石頁
Full Character
=
dan4
left
ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 碩?

Write 碩

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 碩

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese academia, the term 碩士 is widely recognized and reflects the importance of education and qualifications in society. A master's degree is often seen as a significant achievement, denoting a level of expertise and status.

Word Family of 碩

Words Containing This Character14
硕士shuòshìmaster's degree碩士
shuòlarge
硕大big碩大
丰硕fēngshuòplentiful豐碩
硕果shuòguǒgreat work碩果
华硕Asus (computer manufacturer)華碩
硕士生Master's degree student碩士生
健硕well-built (physique)健碩
肥硕plump肥碩
硕果累累heavily laden with fruit碩果累累
硕果仅存only remaining of the great (idiom); one of the few greats extant碩果僅存
和硕Hoxud county, Xoshut nahiyisi or Heshuo county in Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture, Xinjiang 巴音郭楞蒙古自治州[Bā​yīn​guō​léng​Měng​gǔ​Zì​zhì​zhōu], Xinjiang和碩
硕大无朋immense碩大無朋
和硕县Hoxud or Heshuo county or Xoshut nahiyisi in Bayingolin Mongol Autonomous Prefecture 巴音郭楞蒙古自治州[Bā​yīn​guō​léng​Měng​gǔ​Zì​zhì​zhōu], Xinjiang和碩縣
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 硕士 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 碩

It is pronounced as 'shuò'.