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褥 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
褥rùmattress, cushion; beddingn, 15 strokes, radical 衤, rank #39837, Very Hard
rù(ru4) T4
  1. 1mattress, cushion; bedding
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

褥rù(ru4)

The character 褥 (rù) refers to a mattress or cushion used for sleeping or sitting. It is often associated with bedding and is commonly found in discussions about furniture and home comfort. In modern usage, it may also refer to specific types of bedding in various contexts.

Strokes15Radical衤Frequency#39837DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, a good night's sleep is highly valued, and the quality of the 褥 can significantly affect rest. The concept of comfort in bedding has deep cultural roots, often linked to hospitality and care in home settings.

Memory Tip

The character 褥 looks like a bed (the top part) with a soft cushion (the lower part). Imagine laying down on a fluffy mattress and saying 'rù' as you sink in. The '褥' can remind you of 'rest' which relates to comfort and sleeping.

Meanings of 褥

rù(ru4)
1mattress, cushion; bedding
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 褥

褥Simplified
15Strokes
衤Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 褥

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Podcast: 褥

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 褥

Usage Notes

When using 褥, be mindful that it is a somewhat formal term and may not be used in everyday casual conversation. Common collocations include 褥子 (mattress pad) and 褥垫 (cushion). Be cautious of tone mistakes, as the first tone in 'rù' is crucial for correct pronunciation.

HSK Study Tips

Though 褥 is not included in the HSK levels, students may encounter it when discussing home life or furniture. It's beneficial to connect this word with related terms in bedding and comfort, such as 床 (chuáng, bed) and 垫 (diàn, cushion).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 褥 with related terms like 垫 (diàn, cushion). For example, saying '我买了一个垫' (wǒ mǎi le yī gè diàn) instead of '我买了一个褥' (wǒ mǎi le yī gè rù) can change the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 褥

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Etymology of 褥

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

cloth

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 褥

  1. 1The meaning half衤 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half辱 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaycloth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 褥? 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 褥?

Decomposition of 褥

IDS Structure⿰衤辱
褥Full Character
=
衤yi1
left
辱ru3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 褥?

How to say mattress, cushion; bedding in Chinese

“mattress, cushion; bedding” in Chinese is褥rù

The character 褥 (rù) refers to a mattress or cushion used for sleeping or sitting. It is often associated with bedding and is commonly found in discussions about furniture and home comfort. In modern usage, it may also refer to specific types of bedding in various contexts.

When to use 褥

When using 褥, be mindful that it is a somewhat formal term and may not be used in everyday casual conversation. Common collocations include 褥子 (mattress pad) and 褥垫 (cushion). Be cautious of tone mistakes, as the first tone in 'rù' is crucial for correct pronunciation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 褥 with related terms like 垫 (diàn, cushion). For example, saying '我买了一个垫' (wǒ mǎi le yī gè diàn) instead of '我买了一个褥' (wǒ mǎi le yī gè rù) can change the intended meaning.

Write 褥

褥

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 褥

Words Containing This Character6
被褥bedding
褥rùmattress
褥疮bedsore褥瘡
褥子cotton-padded mattress
产褥期postnatal period產褥期
产褥热postnatal fever產褥熱
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 被褥 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 褥

While 褥 primarily refers to mattresses, it can also signify cushions or bedding more generally.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 褥?

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.