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笃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
笃dǔdeep, serious; genuine, sincere, trueag, 9 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #32640, Very Hard
笃dǔserious (illness)unknown, 9 strokes, radical ⺮, rank #32640, Very Hard
dǔ(du3) T3
  1. 1deep, serious; genuine, sincere, true
  2. 2serious (illness)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

笃(篤)dǔ(du3)

The character 笃 (dǔ) conveys a sense of depth and seriousness, often associated with sincerity and genuineness. It is frequently used to describe a person's character, especially in contexts where trust and truthfulness are emphasized.

Strokes9Radical⺮Frequency#32640DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, sincerity is highly valued, particularly in relationships and business. The use of 笃 reflects the importance of being genuine and trustworthy, traits that are often seen as foundational in social interactions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sturdy tree (木) standing deep in a forest, symbolizing strength and sincerity. The character 笃 combines the radical for bamboo (竹) that represents flexibility and the notion of being 'deep' and 'serious,' like deep roots anchoring a tree firmly in the ground.

Meanings of 笃

dǔ(du3)
1deep, serious; genuine, sincere, true
2serious (illness)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 笃

笃Simplified
篤Traditional
9Strokes
⺮Radical
形容词性语素xíngróngcíadjective root (adj.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 笃

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Podcast: 笃

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AI Study Notes for 笃

Quick Contrast

诚 (chéng) - use 笃 (dǔ) when emphasizing depth and seriousness in character; use 诚 (chéng) for general sincerity or honesty.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of using 笃 in formal contexts as it conveys a serious tone. Common collocations include '笃信' (dǔ xìn, to sincerely believe) and '笃厚' (dǔ hòu, sincerity and depth). Avoid using it in casual conversations where lighter terms might be more appropriate.

HSK Study Tips

While 笃 is not included in the HSK, it relates to other words expressing sincerity (诚) and depth (深). Students should focus on the character's structure and how its meaning connects with other related terms, enhancing vocabulary around honesty and seriousness.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 笃 with similar-sounding words like '独' (dú, alone) or '赌' (dǔ, to gamble). Ensure to use 笃 when referring to sincerity rather than isolation or gambling contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 笃

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Etymology of 笃

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 笃

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

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Decomposition of 笃

IDS Structure⿱⺮马
笃Full Character
=
⺮zhu2
top
马Ma3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 笃?

How to say deep, serious; genuine, sincere, true in Chinese

“deep, serious; genuine, sincere, true” in Chinese is笃dǔ

The character 笃 (dǔ) conveys a sense of depth and seriousness, often associated with sincerity and genuineness. It is frequently used to describe a person's character, especially in contexts where trust and truthfulness are emphasized.

When to use 笃

Be mindful of using 笃 in formal contexts as it conveys a serious tone. Common collocations include '笃信' (dǔ xìn, to sincerely believe) and '笃厚' (dǔ hòu, sincerity and depth). Avoid using it in casual conversations where lighter terms might be more appropriate.

笃 or something close to it

诚 (chéng) - use 笃 (dǔ) when emphasizing depth and seriousness in character; use 诚 (chéng) for general sincerity or honesty.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 笃 with similar-sounding words like '独' (dú, alone) or '赌' (dǔ, to gamble). Ensure to use 笃 when referring to sincerity rather than isolation or gambling contexts.

Write 笃

笃

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 笃

Words Containing This Character12
笃dǔtrue篤
笃定certain篤定
笃信to believe firmly篤信
笃行to behave sincerely篤行
笃志steadfast篤志
笃实loyal篤實
笃学studious篤學
笃厚magnanimous篤厚
笃守to comply faithfully篤守
诚笃honest誠篤
笃信好学sincere belief and diligent study篤信好學
笃挚cordial篤摯
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 笃 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 笃

You might say, '他是一个笃信朋友的人' (He is a person who sincerely believes in friendship).

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