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絀 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
絀chùto stitch, to sew; insufficientzg, 11 strokes, radical 糹
chù(chu4) T4
  1. 1to stitch, to sew; insufficient
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

絀chù(chu4)

The character 絀 (chù) primarily means 'to stitch' or 'to sew.' It can also convey a sense of something being insufficient or lacking, often used in contexts where something is not enough or is incomplete.

Strokes11Radical糹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, sewing and textile arts have a rich history, often linked to traditional craftsmanship and family skills passed down through generations. The character reflects this cultural significance in both practical and artistic realms.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tailor (the radical 糸, meaning 'thread') stitching together pieces of fabric. As they sew (chù), they realize they don't have enough thread to finish the job, illustrating both meanings of the character.

Meanings of 絀

chù(chu4)
1to stitch, to sew; insufficient
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 絀

絀Simplified
11Strokes
糹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 絀

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Podcast: 絀

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 絀

Usage Notes

A common mistake is to confuse 絀 with similar characters like 缺 (quē), which means 'to lack' in a more general sense. In informal contexts, you might hear it used in everyday conversation about sewing, while in formal settings, it's often used in writing about textile production.

HSK Study Tips

Though this word is not included in HSK, it shares the radical 糸 with other HSK characters like 线 (xiàn, 'line') and 布 (bù, 'cloth'). Students should focus on recognizing the sewing context and the nuances of 'insufficient' in various phrases.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 絀 with the character 缺 (quē). For example, saying '我缺布料' (wǒ quē bùliào, 'I lack fabric') might seem similar, but using 絀 would be more appropriate when discussing the act of sewing with insufficient material.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 絀

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Etymology of 絀

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

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 出 represents the sound. Simplified form of 絀.

Memory Hint

thread

Semantic (meaning)糹
+
Phonetic (sound)出
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 絀

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 出 represents the sound. Simplified form of 絀.

  1. 1The meaning half糹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half出 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaythread
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 絀? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 絀?

Decomposition of 絀

IDS Structure⿰糹出
絀Full Character
=
糹si1
left
出chu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 絀?

How to say to stitch, to sew; insufficient in Chinese

“to stitch, to sew; insufficient” in Chinese is絀chù

The character 絀 (chù) primarily means 'to stitch' or 'to sew.' It can also convey a sense of something being insufficient or lacking, often used in contexts where something is not enough or is incomplete.

When to use 絀

A common mistake is to confuse 絀 with similar characters like 缺 (quē), which means 'to lack' in a more general sense. In informal contexts, you might hear it used in everyday conversation about sewing, while in formal settings, it's often used in writing about textile production.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 絀 with the character 缺 (quē). For example, saying '我缺布料' (wǒ quē bùliào, 'I lack fabric') might seem similar, but using 絀 would be more appropriate when discussing the act of sewing with insufficient material.

Write 絀

絀

Practice writing 絀 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 絀

Words Containing This Character4
相形见绌to pale by comparison (idiom)相形見絀
绌chùcrimson silk絀
左支右绌to be in straitened circumstances左支右絀
心余力绌the will is there, but not the strength (idiom)心餘力絀
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 相形见绌 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 絀

No, it's more often found in written texts or discussions about textiles rather than in daily spoken language.

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