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铥 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
铥diūthuliumg, 11 strokes, radical 钅, rank #86517, Very Hard
铥diūthulium (chemistry)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 钅, rank #86517, Very Hard
diū(diu1) T1
  1. 1thulium
  2. 2thulium (chemistry)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

铥(銩)diū(diu1)

铥 (diū) refers to the chemical element thulium, which is a rare earth metal. It is commonly used in various applications, including medical imaging and lasers. In scientific contexts, this term often appears in discussions about chemistry and material science.

Strokes11Radical钅Frequency#86517DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Thulium, represented by 铥, is notable for its use in medical technologies, reflecting China's advancements in healthcare and technology sectors. Its rarity ties it to the significance of rare earth metals in modern electronics and innovations.

Memory Tip

Think of '铥' as a combination of metal and discovery. The radical '金' (metal) hints at its classification as a metal, while the character's pronunciation 'diū' can be remembered by imagining a scientist saying 'Dew!' upon discovering thulium's unique properties.

Meanings of 铥

diū(diu1)
1thulium
2thulium (chemistry)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 铥

铥Simplified
銩Traditional
11Strokes
钅Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 铥

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Podcast: 铥

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AI Study Notes for 铥

Usage Notes

铥 is primarily used in scientific and technical contexts, so it may not be familiar in everyday conversation. Be cautious with pronunciation, ensuring you use the correct tones. Commonly, it appears in phrases related to chemistry and element discussions.

HSK Study Tips

Since '铥' is not part of the commonly recognized HSK vocabulary, it may require supplementary study. Focus on its usage in scientific literature, and relate it to other similar terms in chemistry to enhance comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 铥 with other similar-sounding elements or characters. For instance, mixing it up with 铅 (lead) is common; remember that 铥 specifically refers to thulium, which has distinct applications.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 铥

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Etymology of 铥

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

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 铥

  1. 1The meaning half钅 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half丢 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 铥? 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 铥?

Decomposition of 铥

IDS Structure⿰钅丢
铥Full Character
=
钅jin1
left
丢diu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 铥?

How to say thulium in Chinese

“thulium” in Chinese is铥diū

铥 (diū) refers to the chemical element thulium, which is a rare earth metal. It is commonly used in various applications, including medical imaging and lasers. In scientific contexts, this term often appears in discussions about chemistry and material science.

When to use 铥

铥 is primarily used in scientific and technical contexts, so it may not be familiar in everyday conversation. Be cautious with pronunciation, ensuring you use the correct tones. Commonly, it appears in phrases related to chemistry and element discussions.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 铥 with other similar-sounding elements or characters. For instance, mixing it up with 铅 (lead) is common; remember that 铥 specifically refers to thulium, which has distinct applications.

Write 铥

铥

Practice writing 铥 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 铥

Words Containing This Character1
铥diūthulium (chemistry)銩
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 铥 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 铥

Thulium is important for its applications in lasers and medical imaging, making it a valuable element in advanced technologies.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 铥?

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