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鈺 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
rare treasurex, 13 strokes, radical 釒, Very Hard
(yu4) T4
  1. 1rare treasure
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March 24, 2026
(yu4)

The character 鈺 (yù) refers to a rare treasure or precious metal, often associated with high value and uniqueness. It is commonly used in literary contexts to describe something that is exceptionally precious or valuable, emphasizing its rarity.

Strokes13RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, rare treasures are often associated with wealth and status, and they hold significant importance in traditional arts and crafts. The concept of treasures is prevalent in folklore, where they are often sought after for their supposed magical properties.

Memory Tip

Imagine a shiny gold treasure chest filled with rare jewels. The character 鈺 (yù) has the metal radical '金' on the left, symbolizing metal or treasure, while the right part can be visualized as a unique gem inside the chest, helping you remember its meaning of a rare treasure.

Meanings of 鈺

(yu4)
1rare treasure
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鈺

Simplified
13Strokes
Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鈺

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AI Study Notes for 鈺

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a shiny gold treasure chest filled with rare jewels. The character 鈺 (yù) has the metal radical '金' on the left, symbolizing metal or treasure, while the right part can be visualized as a unique gem inside the chest, helping you remember its meaning of a rare treasure.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 鈺 (yù) with similar-sounding words or characters. It is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more suitable for formal contexts or literature. Be cautious with the tone; the fourth tone 'yù' should not be mixed with the first tone 'yū'.

HSK Study Tips

While 鈺 (yù) is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be a useful word for learners interested in literature or culture. Students should focus on recognizing the metal radical '金' and connecting it to other words related to treasure or value.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, rare treasures are often associated with wealth and status, and they hold significant importance in traditional arts and crafts. The concept of treasures is prevalent in folklore, where they are often sought after for their supposed magical properties.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 鈺 (yù) as 'yū' with a different tone. Additionally, some might confuse it with other characters that contain the metal radical, such as 錢 (qián), which means money. Remember to distinguish between them.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鈺

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Etymology of 鈺

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A treasure of gold 釒 and jade 玉; 玉 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 鈺?

Decomposition of 鈺

IDS Structure⿰釒玉
Full Character
=
jin1
left
yu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鈺?

Write 鈺

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 鈺

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, rare treasures are often associated with wealth and status, and they hold significant importance in traditional arts and crafts. The concept of treasures is prevalent in folklore, where they are often sought after for their supposed magical properties.

Word Family of 鈺

Words Containing This Character2
treasure
朱祁钰Zhu Qiyu, personal name of seventh Ming emperor Jingtai 景泰[Jǐng​tài] (1428-1457), reigned 1449-1457朱祁鈺
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 钰 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鈺

In modern usage, 鈺 typically refers to something that is considered a rare or valuable treasure, often used in literary contexts.