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腴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
腴yúfat; rich, fertile; soft, plumpag, 12 strokes, radical ⺼
腴yúfat on bellyunknown, 12 strokes, radical ⺼
yú(yu2) T2
  1. 1fat; rich, fertile; soft, plump
  2. 2fat on belly
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

腴yú(yu2)

The character 腴 (yú) primarily refers to the concept of being fat or plump, often in relation to a person or an animal's body. It can also describe something that is rich or fertile, such as land that produces abundant crops. In everyday contexts, it is used more poetically or in literary descriptions rather than in casual conversation.

Strokes12Radical⺼
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, being plump or having a 'fat' appearance is often associated with wealth and prosperity, reflecting abundance in food and resources. This character encapsulates that cultural appreciation for fullness as a sign of good fortune.

Memory Tip

Imagine a plump, soft pillow (the character's rounded shape) that is so rich in fluff that it's 'yú' (sounds like 'you') who can rest on it comfortably. The rounded form of the character resembles a soft belly, reinforcing its meaning of being plump or fertile.

Meanings of 腴

yú(yu2)
1fat; rich, fertile; soft, plump
2fat on belly
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 腴

腴Simplified
12Strokes
⺼Radical
形容词性语素xíngróngcíadjective root (adj.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 腴

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Podcast: 腴

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 腴

Quick Contrast

丰腴 (fēngyú) vs 腴 (yú): Use 丰腴 when emphasizing richness or abundance in a more general or poetic sense, while 腴 focuses specifically on the physical aspect of being plump.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 腴 with other characters related to body shape, such as 胖 (pàng), which specifically means 'fat' in a more casual way. 腴 is more formal and can convey a sense of richness or fertility. Be careful not to use it in everyday conversations in place of more common terms.

HSK Study Tips

Although 腴 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it connects with other characters describing physical traits and fertility, such as 胖 (pàng) and 丰富 (fēngfù). Focus on understanding its nuances in formal contexts and recognize its literary applications.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly use 腴 in informal situations where 胖 (pàng) would be more appropriate; for example, saying '我很腴' (Wǒ hěn yú - I am very fat) is awkward. Instead, use '我很胖' (Wǒ hěn pàng).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 腴

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Etymology of 腴

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

flesh

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 腴

  1. 1The meaning half⺼ carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half臾 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayflesh
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 腴? 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 腴?

Decomposition of 腴

IDS Structure⿰⺼臾
腴Full Character
=
⺼rou4
left
臾Yu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 腴?

How to say fat; rich, fertile; soft, plump in Chinese

“fat; rich, fertile; soft, plump” in Chinese is腴yú

The character 腴 (yú) primarily refers to the concept of being fat or plump, often in relation to a person or an animal's body. It can also describe something that is rich or fertile, such as land that produces abundant crops. In everyday contexts, it is used more poetically or in literary descriptions rather than in casual conversation.

When to use 腴

Learners often confuse 腴 with other characters related to body shape, such as 胖 (pàng), which specifically means 'fat' in a more casual way. 腴 is more formal and can convey a sense of richness or fertility. Be careful not to use it in everyday conversations in place of more common terms.

腴 or something close to it

丰腴 (fēngyú) vs 腴 (yú): Use 丰腴 when emphasizing richness or abundance in a more general or poetic sense, while 腴 focuses specifically on the physical aspect of being plump.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly use 腴 in informal situations where 胖 (pàng) would be more appropriate; for example, saying '我很腴' (Wǒ hěn yú - I am very fat) is awkward. Instead, use '我很胖' (Wǒ hěn pàng).

Write 腴

腴

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 腴

腴 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

她的脖子短,但浑圆可爱;两臂丰____,也很动人.

Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing.

Example Sentences for 腴 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她的脖子短,但浑圆可爱;两臂丰腴,也很动人.

tā de bó zǐ duǎn, , dàn hún yuán kě; ài ; liǎng bì, fēng yú , yě.

Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing.

Word Family of 腴

Words Containing This Character2
丰腴full-bodied豐腴
腴yúrich
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 丰腴 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 腴

It is not commonly used in everyday language; instead, it is more often found in literary or poetic contexts to describe being plump or fertile.

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