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舳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
zhúthe stern of a shipx, 11 strokes, radical 舟, Very Hard
zhúpoopdeckunknown, 11 strokes, radical 舟, Very Hard
zhústern of boatunknown, 11 strokes, radical 舟, Very Hard
zhú(zhu2) T2
  1. 1the stern of a ship
  2. 2poopdeck
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March 24, 2026
zhú(zhu2)

舳 (zhú) refers to the stern or rear part of a ship or boat, specifically the poop deck. This term is often used in nautical contexts and indicates the location where steering and navigation occur, as well as a place for crew activities.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese maritime history, the design and structure of ships were crucial for trade and defense. 舳 emphasizes the importance of the stern in ship navigation, reflecting the country's rich seafaring traditions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a large ship with a grand stern where the captain stands. The character 舳 looks like a ship (the radical 舟) with a roof (the radical 亘) on top, symbolizing the protective structure of the stern. 'Zhú' sounds like 'Jewel,' representing the valuable command center of the ship at the back.

Meanings of 舳

zhú(zhu2)
1the stern of a ship
2poopdeck
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 舳

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 舳

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AI Study Notes for 舳

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a large ship with a grand stern where the captain stands. The character 舳 looks like a ship (the radical 舟) with a roof (the radical 亘) on top, symbolizing the protective structure of the stern. 'Zhú' sounds like 'Jewel,' representing the valuable command center of the ship at the back.

Usage Notes

舳 is a formal term primarily used in maritime contexts. A common mistake is to confuse it with 船 (chuán), meaning 'boat' in general. Pay attention to using 舳 in appropriate contexts, such as discussions about navigation or shipbuilding.

HSK Study Tips

Since 舳 is not an HSK level character, learners should focus on related nautical vocabulary and characters associated with ships (like 船, 舟). Understanding the context in which 舳 is used will aid in comprehension and retention.

Cultural Note

In Chinese maritime history, the design and structure of ships were crucial for trade and defense. 舳 emphasizes the importance of the stern in ship navigation, reflecting the country's rich seafaring traditions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 舳 with 船, mistakenly using 舳 to refer to any boat. Correctly, 舳 should only be used when specifying the stern of a ship.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 舳

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Etymology of 舳

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

ship

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 舳?

Decomposition of 舳

IDS Structure⿰舟由
Full Character
=
zhou1
left
you2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 舳?

Write 舳

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

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Cultural Notes for 舳

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese maritime history, the design and structure of ships were crucial for trade and defense. 舳 emphasizes the importance of the stern in ship navigation, reflecting the country's rich seafaring traditions.

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While 'stern' in Western contexts may simply refer to the back of a boat, in Chinese culture, 舳 encompasses both the physical structure and its navigational significance, highlighting a deeper connection to maritime activities.

Word Family of 舳

Words Containing This Character1
zhúpoopdeck
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 舳 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 舳

The pronunciation is zhú, with a rising tone similar to the English word 'jewel'.