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處 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
處chùto reside at, to live in; place, locale; departmentx, 11 strokes, radical 虍
chù(chu4)chu T4
  1. 1to reside at, to live in; place, locale; department
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March 24, 2026

處chù(chu4)

The character 處 (chù) primarily refers to a place or location where one resides or operates. It can also denote a department or office within an organization. Common usage contexts include discussing living arrangements, workplaces, or administrative divisions.

Strokes11Radical虍
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of a 'place' can be deeply tied to one's identity and social status, as certain locales are associated with historical significance and prestige.

Memory tip

Imagine a person standing in a specific 'place' (處) marked by a big 'C' for 'chù' on the ground. The character contains the radical 虍 (tiger), suggesting that just as a tiger has a territory, we have our own places or departments.

Meanings of 處

chù(chu4)
1to reside at, to live in; place, locale; department
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 處 means.

About 處

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

Podcast: 處

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Podcast: 處

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AI study notes for 處

Quick Contrast

处 (chù) vs 地方 (dìfāng) — use 处 for specific locations or offices, while 地方 is more general, referring to any place.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 處 (chù) with 处 (chù) in its simplified form, as they represent the same character but may appear differently in contexts. It is more commonly used in formal settings, especially when referring to departments or official titles.

HSK Study Tips

While 處 (chù) is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with other location-related words such as 地方 (dìfāng, place) and 位置 (wèizhì, position). Focus on its usage in administrative contexts to enhance comprehension of formal documents.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 處 with its usage as a verb, mistakenly using it to mean 'to handle' or 'to deal with' instead of recognizing its noun form. For example, saying '我處事情' (wǒ chù shìqíng) is incorrect; it should be '我处理事情' (wǒ chǔlǐ shìqíng) for 'I handle matters'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 處

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Etymology of 處

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

Simplified form of 處. Phonosemantic compound. 夂 represents the meaning and 虎 represents the sound.

Memory hint

place

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

Origin

處 = 処 + 虍. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 處

IDS Structure⿸虍処
處Full character
=
虍hu1
enclosing
処chu3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 處?

How to say to reside at, to live in; place, locale; department in Chinese

“to reside at, to live in; place, locale; department” in Chinese is處chù

The character 處 (chù) primarily refers to a place or location where one resides or operates. It can also denote a department or office within an organization. Common usage contexts include discussing living arrangements, workplaces, or administrative divisions.

When to use 處

Be careful not to confuse 處 (chù) with 处 (chù) in its simplified form, as they represent the same character but may appear differently in contexts. It is more commonly used in formal settings, especially when referring to departments or official titles.

處 or something close to it

处 (chù) vs 地方 (dìfāng) — use 处 for specific locations or offices, while 地方 is more general, referring to any place.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 處 with its usage as a verb, mistakenly using it to mean 'to handle' or 'to deal with' instead of recognizing its noun form. For example, saying '我處事情' (wǒ chù shìqíng) is incorrect; it should be '我处理事情' (wǒ chǔlǐ shìqíng) for 'I handle matters'.

Write 處

處

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

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Word Family of 處

Words containing this character20
处chǔto reside處
处理chǔlǐto handle處理
到处dàochùeverywhere到處
处于chǔyúto be in (some state, position, or condition)處於
好处hǎochùbenefit好處
相处xiāngchǔto associate相處
处女virgin處女
处罚chǔfáto penalize處罰
四处sìchùall over the place四處
处在chǔzàito be situated at處在
深处shēnchùabyss深處
处境chǔjìngsituation (of a person)處境
查处cháchǔto investigate and handle (a criminal case)查處
处置chǔzhìto handle處置
住处zhùchùresidence住處
处理器processor處理器
远处yuǎnchùdistant place遠處
判处pànchǔto sentence判處
何处héchùwhence何處
处处chùchùeverywhere處處
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 處

What does 处 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 處

They are the same character; 處 is the traditional form, while 处 is the simplified version used in mainland China.

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