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蔟 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蔟cùnest; silkworm frame; to collectzg, 14 strokes, radical 艹
蔟cùcollectunknown, 14 strokes, radical 艹
蔟cùframe for silk wormunknown, 14 strokes, radical 艹
cù(cu4) T4
  1. 1nest; silkworm frame; to collect
  2. 2collect
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March 24, 2026

蔟cù(cu4)

The character 蔟 (cù) primarily refers to a nest or a frame for silkworms. It is often used in the context of silkworm cultivation, where it denotes the structure that supports the silkworms as they grow. The character can also imply the act of collecting or gathering, particularly in agricultural settings.

Strokes14Radical艹
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, silk production has a long history, and characters like 蔟 reflect the significance of silkworms in agriculture and economy. The process of cultivating silkworms and their nests is a vital part of Chinese heritage, especially in regions known for silk production.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cozy nest (蔟) made of silk threads, where silkworms are snugly resting. The character 蔟 resembles a frame (the outer structure) with the ‘grass’ radical (艹) on top, reminding you that it's related to plants and nurturing, much like how a nest nurtures its inhabitants.

Meanings of 蔟

cù(cu4)
1nest; silkworm frame; to collect
2collect
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 蔟

蔟Simplified
14Strokes
艹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蔟

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Podcast: 蔟

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AI Study Notes for 蔟

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 蔟 with similar characters, as it is not commonly used in everyday conversation. It has a more specialized usage, often in agricultural or silkworm-related contexts. The tone is critical; ensure to pronounce it as cù to convey the correct meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 蔟 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enrich your knowledge of characters related to agriculture and silkworm cultivation. Students should focus on recognizing the radical components and their meanings to help remember this character.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蔟 with similar characters like 蚕 (cán, meaning 'silkworm') due to their related meanings. Ensure to remember that 蔟 specifically refers to the nest or frame rather than the silkworm itself.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蔟

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Etymology of 蔟

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

grass

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 蔟

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half族 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaygrass
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 蔟? 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 蔟?

Decomposition of 蔟

IDS Structure⿱艹族
蔟Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
族zu2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 蔟?

How to say nest; silkworm frame; to collect in Chinese

“nest; silkworm frame; to collect” in Chinese is蔟cù

The character 蔟 (cù) primarily refers to a nest or a frame for silkworms. It is often used in the context of silkworm cultivation, where it denotes the structure that supports the silkworms as they grow. The character can also imply the act of collecting or gathering, particularly in agricultural settings.

When to use 蔟

Be cautious not to confuse 蔟 with similar characters, as it is not commonly used in everyday conversation. It has a more specialized usage, often in agricultural or silkworm-related contexts. The tone is critical; ensure to pronounce it as cù to convey the correct meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蔟 with similar characters like 蚕 (cán, meaning 'silkworm') due to their related meanings. Ensure to remember that 蔟 specifically refers to the nest or frame rather than the silkworm itself.

Write 蔟

蔟

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

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Word Family of 蔟

Words Containing This Character1
蔟cùcollect
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 蔟 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 蔟

蔟 is not commonly used in everyday conversation as it pertains specifically to silkworm cultivation and agriculture.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 蔟?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.