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邹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
zōuan ancient state; surnamenr, 7 strokes, radical 阝, rank #62578, Very Hard
zōusurname Zouunknown, 7 strokes, radical 阝, rank #62578, Very Hard
zōuvassal state during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) in the southeast of Shandong Provinceunknown, 7 strokes, radical 阝, rank #62578, Very Hard
zōu(Zou1) T1
  1. 1an ancient state; surname
  2. 2vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) in the southeast of Shandong Province
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March 24, 2026
(鄒)zōu(Zou1)

The character 邹 (zōu) refers to an ancient state in Chinese history, known as a vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty, located in what is now southeastern Shandong Province. It can also be used as a surname. This character is often encountered in historical texts and discussions about the Zhou Dynasty and its feudal system.

Strokes7RadicalFrequency#62578DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The state of 邹 is significant in Chinese history and philosophy, especially related to Confucianism, as it is often mentioned in classical literature. The character reflects the rich tapestry of Chinese dynastic history and the importance of regional states.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'zoo' (pronounced like 'zōu') where ancient animals from the state of 邹 roam freely. The left part of the character resembles a 'mouth' (口), suggesting the state’s significance in terms of communication and governance in ancient times.

Meanings of 邹

zōu(Zou1)
1an ancient state; surname
2vassal state during the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BC) in the southeast of Shandong Province
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 邹

Simplified
Traditional
7Strokes
Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 邹

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AI Study Notes for 邹

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'zoo' (pronounced like 'zōu') where ancient animals from the state of 邹 roam freely. The left part of the character resembles a 'mouth' (口), suggesting the state’s significance in terms of communication and governance in ancient times.

Usage Notes

While using 邹 as a surname, it is common to pair it with a given name for full identification. Be cautious of the tone; the first tone (zōu) should be pronounced clearly to avoid confusion with other similar-sounding words. Incorrectly using it in informal contexts may lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 邹 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it connects to historical terms and concepts relevant to Level 3 and above. Students should focus on understanding its historical context and pronunciation to enhance their comprehension of ancient texts.

Cultural Note

The state of 邹 is significant in Chinese history and philosophy, especially related to Confucianism, as it is often mentioned in classical literature. The character reflects the rich tapestry of Chinese dynastic history and the importance of regional states.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 邹 (zōu) with similar characters like '走' (zǒu), which means 'to walk.' Always remember that 邹 refers specifically to the ancient state or surname, while 走 is about movement.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 邹

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Etymology of 邹

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

Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 刍 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鄒.

Memory Hint

place

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 邹?

Decomposition of 邹

IDS Structure⿰刍阝
Full Character
=
chu2
left
yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 邹?

Write 邹

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

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Cultural Notes for 邹

🏮Cultural insight

The state of 邹 is significant in Chinese history and philosophy, especially related to Confucianism, as it is often mentioned in classical literature. The character reflects the rich tapestry of Chinese dynastic history and the importance of regional states.

Word Family of 邹

Words Containing This Character9
zōusurname Zou
邹平Zouping county in Binzhou 濱州|滨州[Bīn​zhōu], Shandong鄒平
邹韬奋Zou Taofen (1895-1944), journalist, political theorist and publisher鄒韜奮
邹城Zoucheng county level city in Jining 濟寧|济宁[Jǐ​níng], Shandong鄒城
邹城市Zoucheng county level city in Jining 濟寧|济宁[Jǐ​níng], Shandong鄒城市
邹容Zou Rong (1885-1905), a martyr of the anti-Qing revolution, died in jail in 1905鄒容
邹平县Zouping county in Binzhou 濱州|滨州[Bīn​zhōu], Shandong鄒平縣
邹衍Zou Yan (305-240 BC), founder of the School of Yin-Yang of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC)鄒衍
邹县Zou county in Shandong鄒縣
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 邹 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 邹

In modern usage, 邹 primarily functions as a surname, but it can also refer to historical contexts or discussions about the Zhou Dynasty.