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禄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
blessing, happiness, prosperityHSK 6, nr, 12 strokes, radical 礻, rank #34726, Very Hard
good fortuneHSK 6, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 礻, rank #34726, Very Hard
official salaryHSK 6, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 礻, rank #34726, Very Hard
(lu4) T4
  1. 1blessing, happiness, prosperity
  2. 2good fortune
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(祿)(lu4)

The character 禄 (lù) refers to blessings, happiness, and prosperity, often associated with good fortune and official salary. It is commonly used in contexts related to wealth and success, particularly in traditional Chinese culture, where it is linked to one's status and fortune in life.

Strokes12RadicalFrequency#34726DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 禄 is often associated with the concept of 官禄 (guān lù), referring to the salary and benefits received by officials, reflecting one's social status and success in life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a luxurious banquet table filled with delicious food, symbolizing prosperity and blessings. The character 禄 resembles a table with a beautiful spread, reminding you of good fortune. The pronunciation 'lù' can be remembered as 'loot' which connects to the idea of wealth.

Meanings of 禄

(lu4)
1blessing, happiness, prosperity
2good fortune
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 禄

Simplified
祿Traditional
12Strokes
Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateCEFRC1

Podcast: 禄

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AI Study Notes for 禄

Quick Contrast

禄 (lù) vs 富 (fù) — use 禄 to emphasize blessings and prosperity related to status, while 富 focuses more on wealth and richness.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a luxurious banquet table filled with delicious food, symbolizing prosperity and blessings. The character 禄 resembles a table with a beautiful spread, reminding you of good fortune. The pronunciation 'lù' can be remembered as 'loot' which connects to the idea of wealth.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 禄 with similar characters like 福 (fú) which means happiness or good luck. It is primarily used in formal contexts, especially in discussions of wealth and status. Be cautious with tones; 'lù' (fourth tone) can be mistaken for 'lǜ' (green) if pronounced incorrectly.

HSK Study Tips

Although 禄 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to other HSK vocabulary related to wealth and fortune. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in idiomatic expressions and its significance in traditional contexts, such as during the Lunar New Year.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 禄 is often associated with the concept of 官禄 (guān lù), referring to the salary and benefits received by officials, reflecting one's social status and success in life.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 禄 interchangeably with 福 (fú), leading to confusion in meaning. For example, saying '我希望你有很多禄' instead of '我希望你有很多福' would shift the focus from general happiness to specific prosperity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 禄

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Etymology of 禄

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 礻 represents the meaning and 录 represents the sound. Simplified form of 祿.

Memory Hint

spirit

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 禄?

Decomposition of 禄

IDS Structure⿰礻录
Full Character
=
shi4
left
Lu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 禄?

Write 禄

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

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Grammar Patterns of 禄

禄 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

除了漫漫游荡和不染利____,你说还有什么足以慰藉灵魂?

What do you suppose will satisfy the soul, except to walk free and on no superior?

Example Sentences for 禄 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
除了漫漫游荡和不染利禄,你说还有什么足以慰藉灵魂?

chú le màn màn yóu dàng hé bù rǎn lì lù, , nǐ shuō huán yǒu shí mó zú yǐ wèi jiè líng?

What do you suppose will satisfy the soul, except to walk free and on no superior?

Cultural Notes for 禄

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, 禄 is often associated with the concept of 官禄 (guān lù), referring to the salary and benefits received by officials, reflecting one's social status and success in life.

Word Family of 禄

Words Containing This Character20
good fortune祿
俸禄official's salary (in feudal times)俸祿
功名利禄position and wealth (idiom); rank, fame and fortune功名利祿
安禄山An Lushan (703-757), famous general and favorite of Tang emperor Xuanzong, eventually precipitated catastrophic An Shi rebellion (755-763)安祿山
高官厚禄high post and generous salary (idiom); promotion to a high official position高官厚祿
天禄possession of the empire天祿
利禄wealth and official post利祿
禄丰Lufeng county in Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture 楚雄彞族自治州|楚雄彝族自治州[Chǔ​xióng​Yí​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], Yunnan祿豐
禄位official rank and salary祿位
爵禄rank and emolument of nobility爵祿
禄劝Luquan Yizu Miaozu autonomous county in Yunnan祿勸
无功不受禄Don't get a reward if it's not deserved. (idiom)無功不受祿
禄丰县Lufeng county in Chuxiong Yi autonomous prefecture 楚雄彞族自治州|楚雄彝族自治州[Chǔ​xióng​Yí​zú​zì​zhì​zhōu], Yunnan祿豐縣
苏禄old term for Sulawesi or Celebes 苏拉威西蘇祿
禄劝县Luquan Yi and Miao autonomous county in Kunming 昆明[Kūn​míng], Yunnan祿勸縣
无功受禄to get undeserved rewards (idiom)無功受祿
世禄hereditary benefits such as rank and wealth世祿
禄劝彝族苗族自治县Luquan Yi and Miao autonomous county in Kunming 昆明[Kūn​míng], Yunnan祿勸彞族苗族自治縣
李天禄Li Tianlu (1910-1998), Taiwanese master puppeteer李天祿
长生禄位tablet and altar honoring a great benefactor (idiom)長生祿位
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 禄 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 禄

In business, 禄 can refer to the financial blessings or profits gained from successful ventures.