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芋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
芋yùtarozg, 6 strokes, radical 艹, rank #26535, Very Hard
芋yùColocasia antiquorumunknown, 6 strokes, radical 艹, rank #26535, Very Hard
芋yùColocasia esculentaunknown, 6 strokes, radical 艹, rank #26535, Very Hard
yù(yu4)yu T4
  1. 1taro
  2. 2Colocasia antiquorum
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March 24, 2026

芋yù(yu4)

The character 芋 (yù) refers to taro, a starchy root vegetable commonly used in various cuisines. It is notable for its nutty flavor and is often used in soups, desserts, or as a side dish in Chinese cooking. Taro is also associated with certain traditional dishes during festivals and celebrations.

Strokes6Radical艹Frequency#26535DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, taro is often associated with wealth and prosperity, making it a popular ingredient in dishes served during Lunar New Year celebrations. It symbolizes good fortune due to its similar pronunciation to the word for 'increase' (余, yú).

Memory tip

Think of 芋 (yù) as a 'root' vegetable. The left part, 艹 (cǎo), suggests plants, while the right part, 於 (yú), looks like a person holding a taro. Imagine a person happily harvesting taro from the ground, which helps remember both the character and its meaning.

Meanings of 芋

yù(yu4)
1taro
2Colocasia antiquorum
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 芋

芋Simplified
6Strokes
艹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 芋

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Podcast: 芋

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AI study notes for 芋

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 芋 (yù) with other similar characters like 蕉 (jiāo), which means banana. This word is used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in culinary discussions. Common collocations include 芋头 (yùtóu, taro root) and 芋泥 (yùnì, taro paste).

HSK Study Tips

While 芋 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to the theme of food-related words found in lower levels. Focus on recognizing its use in recipes and discussions about regional Chinese dishes that feature taro.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 芋 (yù) with similar-sounding characters; for example, some might mistakenly use 鱼 (yú, fish) when talking about food. It’s important to remember that 芋 specifically refers to taro.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 芋

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Etymology of 芋

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 于 represents the sound.

Memory hint

plant

Semantic (meaning)艹
+
Phonetic (sound)于
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

芋 = 艹 + 于. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 芋

IDS Structure⿱艹于
芋Full character
=
艹cao3
top
于Yu2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 芋?

How to say taro in Chinese

“taro” in Chinese is芋yù

The character 芋 (yù) refers to taro, a starchy root vegetable commonly used in various cuisines. It is notable for its nutty flavor and is often used in soups, desserts, or as a side dish in Chinese cooking. Taro is also associated with certain traditional dishes during festivals and celebrations.

When to use 芋

Be careful not to confuse 芋 (yù) with other similar characters like 蕉 (jiāo), which means banana. This word is used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in culinary discussions. Common collocations include 芋头 (yùtóu, taro root) and 芋泥 (yùnì, taro paste).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 芋 (yù) with similar-sounding characters; for example, some might mistakenly use 鱼 (yú, fish) when talking about food. It’s important to remember that 芋 specifically refers to taro.

Write 芋

芋

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

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Grammar patterns of 芋

芋 carries 3 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

削一袋又一袋洋____皮真是苦差使.

Peeling bags of potatoes is really a chore.

Example sentences for 芋 (1)

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1
削一袋又一袋洋芋皮真是苦差使.

xiāo yī dài yòu yī dài yáng yù pí zhēnshi kǔ chà shǐ.

Peeling bags of potatoes is really a chore.

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Word Family of 芋

Words containing this character7
芋yùtaro
山芋sweet potato
洋芋(dialect) potato
芋头taro芋頭
魔芋konjac, konnyaku or devil's tongue (Amorphophallus konjac), plant whose corms are used to make a stiff jelly (as a food)
菊芋Jerusalem artichoke
竹芋Indian arrowroot (Maranta arundinacea)
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 芋

What does 山芋 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 芋

芋头 specifically refers to taro, which has a unique flavor and texture compared to potatoes or sweet potatoes.

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