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豬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
豬zhūpig, hog, wild boarzg, 15 strokes, radical 豕
zhū(zhu1) T1
  1. 1pig, hog, wild boar
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

豬zhū(zhu1)

The character 豬 (zhū) means 'pig' or 'hog'. It is commonly used in both agricultural contexts to refer to domesticated pigs and in culinary contexts when discussing pork dishes. The character can also refer to wild boars, and it often appears in idioms and cultural references related to wealth and abundance, as pigs are traditionally viewed as symbols of prosperity in Chinese culture.

Strokes15Radical豕
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, pigs are associated with wealth and good fortune, especially during the Lunar New Year. The character 豬 appears in various idioms and is linked to the zodiac sign, which has significant cultural importance.

Memory Tip

Think of a pig with a big belly that looks like a 'U'. The radical 豕 (shǐ) is often associated with animals, and the sound 'zhū' can remind you of 'oozing' food which a pig might enjoy. Picture a pig happily oozing around in mud, emphasizing its nature and sound.

Meanings of 豬

zhū(zhu1)
1pig, hog, wild boar
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 豬

豬Simplified
15Strokes
豕Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 豬

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Podcast: 豬

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AI Study Notes for 豬

Quick Contrast

猪 (zhū) vs 兔 (tù) — choose 猪 when referring to pigs specifically, while 兔 refers to rabbits.

Usage Notes

Avoid using 豬 in overly formal contexts, as it can sound casual. Be careful with its tone; the first tone 'zhū' should not be confused with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. Common collocations include 豬肉 (zhūròu) for 'pork' and 豬年 (zhūnián) for 'Year of the Pig'.

HSK Study Tips

Though 豬 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to themes of animals, food, and cultural festivals. Students should focus on its pronunciation and usage in everyday conversation, especially when discussing food or zodiac signs.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 豬 with other animals due to similar pronunciations, such as 牛 (niú) for 'cow'. Remember that 豬 specifically means 'pig' and not 'hog' or 'boar' in every context. A common error is saying '我喜欢牛肉' (wǒ xǐhuān niúròu) when they mean to say 'I like pork'; the correct phrase would be '我喜欢豬肉' (wǒ xǐhuān zhūròu).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 豬

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Etymology of 豬

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

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 者 represents the sound. Simplified form of 豬.

Memory Hint

animal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 豬

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 者 represents the sound. Simplified form of 豬.

  1. 1The meaning half豕 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half者 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayanimal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 豬? 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 豬?

Decomposition of 豬

IDS Structure⿰豕者
豬Full Character
=
豕shi3
left
者zhe3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 豬?

How to say pig, hog, wild boar in Chinese

“pig, hog, wild boar” in Chinese is豬zhū

The character 豬 (zhū) means 'pig' or 'hog'. It is commonly used in both agricultural contexts to refer to domesticated pigs and in culinary contexts when discussing pork dishes. The character can also refer to wild boars, and it often appears in idioms and cultural references related to wealth and abundance, as pigs are traditionally viewed as symbols of prosperity in Chinese culture.

When to use 豬

Avoid using 豬 in overly formal contexts, as it can sound casual. Be careful with its tone; the first tone 'zhū' should not be confused with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. Common collocations include 豬肉 (zhūròu) for 'pork' and 豬年 (zhūnián) for 'Year of the Pig'.

豬 or something close to it

猪 (zhū) vs 兔 (tù) — choose 猪 when referring to pigs specifically, while 兔 refers to rabbits.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 豬 with other animals due to similar pronunciations, such as 牛 (niú) for 'cow'. Remember that 豬 specifically means 'pig' and not 'hog' or 'boar' in every context. A common error is saying '我喜欢牛肉' (wǒ xǐhuān niúròu) when they mean to say 'I like pork'; the correct phrase would be '我喜欢豬肉' (wǒ xǐhuān zhūròu).

Write 豬

豬

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 豬

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, pigs are often viewed simply as farm animals or sources of meat, whereas in Chinese culture, they symbolize prosperity and are celebrated in various traditions.

Word Family of 豬

Words Containing This Character16
猪zhūhog豬
猪肉pork豬肉
猪头pig head豬頭
野猪wild boar (Sus scrofa)野豬
猪排pork ribs豬排
仔猪piglet仔豬
猪油lard豬油
猪圈pigsty (lit. and fig.)豬圈
猪蹄pig trotters豬蹄
猪八戒Pigsy in Arthur Waley's translation豬八戒
猪场piggery豬場
猪年Year of the Boar (e.g. 2007)豬年
乳猪suckling pig乳豬
豪猪porcupine豪豬
毛猪live pig毛豬
猪狗不如lower than low豬狗不如
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 猪 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 豬

The word for 'pork' is 豬肉 (zhūròu).

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