Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
萸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
dogwoodx, 11 strokes, radical 艹, Very Hard
cornelian cherryunknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹, Very Hard
(yu2) T2
  1. 1dogwood
  2. 2cornelian cherry
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(yu2)

The character 萸 (yú) refers to the dogwood or cornelian cherry, a type of fruit-bearing tree known for its ornamental properties and edible fruits. It is often mentioned in traditional Chinese literature and is associated with themes of beauty and resilience in nature.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, plants like the dogwood symbolize beauty and longevity, and they are often featured in poetry and art, particularly in the context of spring.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'yū' (like 'you') standing under a beautiful dogwood tree, enjoying its vibrant flowers. The character 萸 has a 'grass' radical (艹) on top, hinting at its connection to nature, while the bottom part resembles a 'tree', reminding you of where you might find this lovely plant.

Meanings of 萸

(yu2)
1dogwood
2cornelian cherry
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 萸

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

Podcast: 萸

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 萸

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'yū' (like 'you') standing under a beautiful dogwood tree, enjoying its vibrant flowers. The character 萸 has a 'grass' radical (艹) on top, hinting at its connection to nature, while the bottom part resembles a 'tree', reminding you of where you might find this lovely plant.

Usage Notes

The word 萸 is relatively uncommon in everyday conversation but may appear in literary contexts or discussions about botany. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 'yu' (鱼) which means fish. Use 萸 in a formal context when discussing plants or literary references.

HSK Study Tips

Although 萸 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding this character enriches your knowledge of botanical terms. Focus on recognizing the radicals and components to better grasp similar plant-related vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, plants like the dogwood symbolize beauty and longevity, and they are often featured in poetry and art, particularly in the context of spring.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 萸 as 'yǔ' (与), which means 'to be with'. The correct pronunciation is 'yú', so practice differentiating these tones to avoid confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 萸

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 萸

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

plant

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 萸?

Decomposition of 萸

IDS Structure⿱艹臾
Full Character
=
cao3
top
Yu2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 萸?

Write 萸

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 萸

萸 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

山茱____的蓓蕾, 淡绿清雅,点缀着褐色斑痕.

The dogwood bud, pale green is inlaid with russet markings.

Example Sentences for 萸 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
山茱萸的蓓蕾, 淡绿清雅,点缀着褐色斑痕.

shān zhū yú de bèi lěi, , dàn lǜ qīng, yǎ , diǎn zhuì zháo hè sè.

The dogwood bud, pale green is inlaid with russet markings.

Cultural Notes for 萸

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese culture, plants like the dogwood symbolize beauty and longevity, and they are often featured in poetry and art, particularly in the context of spring.

Word Family of 萸

Words Containing This Character3
茱萸Cornus officinalis (Japanese cornel dogwood, a kind of herb)
cornelian cherry
山茱萸Cornus officinalis
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 茱萸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 萸

It means dogwood or cornelian cherry, which is a type of tree known for its flowers and fruits.