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舒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
Shūsurname Shuzg, 12 strokes, radical 舌, rank #12449, Hard
Shūto stretchzg, 12 strokes, radical 舌, rank #12449, Hard
Shūto unfoldzg, 12 strokes, radical 舌, rank #12449, Hard
Shūto relaxzg, 12 strokes, radical 舌, rank #12449, Hard
Shūleisurelyzg, 12 strokes, radical 舌, rank #12449, Hard
Shūrelaxed, comfortable; to unfold, to stretch outzg, 12 strokes, radical 舌, rank #12449, Hard
Shū(Shu1) T1
  1. 1to stretch
  2. 2to unfold
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
Shū(Shu1)

The character 舒 (shū) primarily means 'to stretch' or 'to unfold.' It is commonly used in contexts related to relaxation or comfort, such as feeling at ease or leisurely. This character conveys a sense of openness and tranquility, often associated with physical and mental relaxation.

Strokes12RadicalFrequency#12449DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of relaxation is often associated with traditional practices like tai chi or tea ceremonies, where the environment encourages leisure and comfort. The word 舒 reflects this cultural value placed on well-being and tranquility.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person stretching their arms wide open in a beautiful landscape, representing comfort and relaxation. The character 舒 has the radical for 'to say' (口) combined with 'to arrive' (如), symbolizing the act of expressing comfort and ease as one stretches out.

Meanings of 舒

Shū(Shu1)
1to stretch
2to unfold
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 舒

Simplified
12Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#12449Frequency Rank

Podcast: 舒

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 舒

Quick Contrast

舒 (shū) vs 伸 (shēn) — use 舒 when emphasizing relaxation or ease, while 伸 focuses on the action of stretching without the connotation of comfort.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person stretching their arms wide open in a beautiful landscape, representing comfort and relaxation. The character 舒 has the radical for 'to say' (口) combined with 'to arrive' (如), symbolizing the act of expressing comfort and ease as one stretches out.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 舒 with similar-sounding words. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts but is particularly apt for describing feelings of relaxation. Be careful with tones; 'shū' is the correct tone, while 'shù' (to set down) is a different word.

HSK Study Tips

Although 舒 is not on the official HSK list, it connects well with HSK Level 3 vocabulary related to feelings and states of being. Students should focus on using it in sentences that express comfort or relaxation.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of relaxation is often associated with traditional practices like tai chi or tea ceremonies, where the environment encourages leisure and comfort. The word 舒 reflects this cultural value placed on well-being and tranquility.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 舒 with 舒服 (shūfu) and assume they are interchangeable. For example, saying '我感觉舒' (wǒ gǎnjué shū) is incorrect; the correct expression is '我感觉舒服' (wǒ gǎnjué shūfu) to mean 'I feel comfortable.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 舒

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Etymology of 舒

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

Phonosemantic compound. 舍 represents the meaning and 予 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

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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 舒?

Decomposition of 舒

IDS Structure⿰舍予
Full Character
=
she3
left
yu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 舒?

Write 舒

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

Grammar Patterns of 舒

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

这个沙发很____服。

This sofa is very comfortable.

Common Confusions with 舒

vs
shū

Same pronunciation but different meanings.

vs
shú

Similar pronunciation but different meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to stretch"?

or

Usage Notes for 舒

Misunderstanding MeaningCommon Error

The character 舒 can mean both 'to relax' and 'to unfold', which can be confusing in different contexts.

1

我想要舒缓一下压力。

I want to relax a bit.

2

他把纸舒展开来。

He unfolded the paper.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我想要____缓一下压力。

I want to relax a bit.

Example Sentences for 舒 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
毛毯能让你睡得更温暖、更舒适。

máo tǎn néng ràng nǐ shuì dé gēng wēn nuǎn、 、 gēng shū。

The blanket will provide additional warmth and comfort in bed.
2
分配给他们的房子舒适宽敞,并配齐了工作人员。

fēn pèi gěi tā mén de fáng zǐ shū shì kuān chǎng, , bìng pèi qí le gōng zuò rén。

The house allocated to them was pleasant and spacious, and well-staffed.
3
这件套头毛衣又舒服又漂亮。

zhè jiàn tào tóu máo yī yòu shū fú yòu piāo liàng。

The jumper strikes the perfect balance between comfort and smartness.
4
这一动作舒展脊椎,使脊神经更加强健。

zhè yī dòng zuò shū zhǎn jǐ zhuī, , shǐ jǐ shén jīng gēng jiā qiáng。

This movement lengthens your spine and tones the spinal nerves.
5
雾蒙蒙的寒冷空气使他脸上感觉很舒爽。

wù mēng mēng de hán lěng kōng qì shǐ tā liǎn shàng gǎn jué hěn shū shuǎng。

The cold, misty air felt wonderful on his face.
6
她有一点私房钱,所以他们过得很舒心。

tā yǒu yī diǎn sī fáng qián, , suǒ yǐ tā mén guò dé hěn shū。

She has a bit of private money, so they manage quite nicely.
7
我晚上吃完饭有时会觉得不舒服。

wǒ wǎn shàng chī wán fàn yǒu shí huì jué dé bù shū fú。

I sometimes feel uncomfortable after eating in the evening.
8
用舒缓沐浴油洗个热水澡吧。

yòng shū huǎn mù yù yóu xǐ gè rè shuǐ zǎo bā。

Try a hot bath with some relaxing bath oil.
9
它防水性能非常好,但却轻巧舒适。

tā fáng shuǐ xìng néng fēi cháng hǎo, , dàn què qīng qiǎo shū。

It is completely waterproof, yet light and comfortable.
10
她帮他坐起身来,好让他舒服一点。

tā bāng tā zuò qǐ shēn lái, , hǎo ràng tā shū fú yī。

She sat him up and made him comfortable.

Cultural Notes for 舒

💡Did you know?

'舒' is often associated with relaxation and comfort. In traditional Chinese medicine, being '舒适' (comfortable) is essential for overall well-being.

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of relaxation is often associated with traditional practices like tai chi or tea ceremonies, where the environment encourages leisure and comfort. The word 舒 reflects this cultural value placed on well-being and tranquility.

Word Family of 舒

Words Containing This Character16
舒服shūfucomfortable
舒适shūshìcozy舒適
不舒服unwell
Shūto stretch
舒马赫Michael Schumacher (1969-), former German racing driver舒馬赫
舒缓to relax舒緩
舒畅shūchànghappy舒暢
舒展to roll out
舒坦comfortable
舒心happy
舒舒服服comfortable
舒张to relax and expand舒張
舒淇Shu Qi (1976-), Taiwanese actress
舒曼Schumann (name)
舒张压diastolic blood pressure舒張壓
董仲舒Dong Zhongshu (179-104 BC), philosopher influential in establishing Confucianism as the established system of values of former Han dynasty
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 舒服 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 舒

Some synonyms for 舒 include 放松 (fàngsōng), which means to relax, and 伸展 (shēnzhǎn), which means to stretch. These words convey similar meanings related to ease and comfort.