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鉅 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鉅jùsteel, iron; greatzg, 12 strokes, radical 釒
jù(ju4) T4
  1. 1steel, iron; great
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鉅jù(ju4)

The character 鉅 (jù) primarily means 'great' or 'large,' and it is often used in contexts that describe something significant or of great importance. Additionally, it can refer to metals like steel or iron, highlighting strength and durability, which can symbolize greatness in various contexts.

Strokes12Radical釒
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'greatness' is often associated with heritage and history, especially in reference to legendary figures or monumental achievements. The use of 鉅 in literature and speeches often evokes a sense of pride and significance.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant (representing 'greatness') lifting a huge steel beam (representing 'metal'). The character 鉅 has a metal radical (金) that relates to its meaning connected to strength. Picture the giant saying 'jù!' as he manages the heavy metal, making it easier to remember both the pronunciation and the meaning.

Meanings of 鉅

jù(ju4)
1steel, iron; great
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鉅

鉅Simplified
12Strokes
釒Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鉅

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Podcast: 鉅

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 鉅

Quick Contrast

巨 (jù) - use 鉅 (jù) for contexts emphasizing significance or importance, while 巨 (jù) is more commonly used for size.

Usage Notes

This character is generally used in formal settings when discussing important concepts or large quantities. Common collocations include 鉅變 (jùbiàn, 'great change') and 鉅額 (jù'é, 'great amount'). Be careful with tone, as mispronouncing 'jù' as 'jǜ' would change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鉅 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects well with Level 5 words like 巨大 (jùdà, 'huge') and 巨星 (jùxīng, 'superstar'). Focus on recognizing its components and similarities with other characters related to size and importance.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鉅 with 巨 (jù), which also means 'huge' but is more common in everyday language. For example, saying '我觉得这个问题很鉅' (wǒ juédé zhège wèntí hěn jù) is incorrect; it should be '很巨大' (hěn jùdà).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鉅

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Etymology of 鉅

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

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鉅

  1. 1The meaning half釒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half巨 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymetal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 鉅? 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 鉅?

Decomposition of 鉅

IDS Structure⿰釒巨
鉅Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
巨ju4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鉅?

How to say steel, iron; great in Chinese

“steel, iron; great” in Chinese is鉅jù

The character 鉅 (jù) primarily means 'great' or 'large,' and it is often used in contexts that describe something significant or of great importance. Additionally, it can refer to metals like steel or iron, highlighting strength and durability, which can symbolize greatness in various contexts.

When to use 鉅

This character is generally used in formal settings when discussing important concepts or large quantities. Common collocations include 鉅變 (jùbiàn, 'great change') and 鉅額 (jù'é, 'great amount'). Be careful with tone, as mispronouncing 'jù' as 'jǜ' would change the meaning entirely.

鉅 or something close to it

巨 (jù) - use 鉅 (jù) for contexts emphasizing significance or importance, while 巨 (jù) is more commonly used for size.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鉅 with 巨 (jù), which also means 'huge' but is more common in everyday language. For example, saying '我觉得这个问题很鉅' (wǒ juédé zhège wèntí hěn jù) is incorrect; it should be '很巨大' (hěn jùdà).

Write 鉅

鉅

Practice writing 鉅 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 鉅

Words Containing This Character1
钜jùhook鉅
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 钜 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鉅

No, 鉅 is more frequently found in formal writing or specialized contexts rather than casual conversation.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鉅?

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.