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頊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
頊xūanxious, grievingx, 13 strokes, radical 頁
xū(xu1)xu T1
  1. 1anxious, grieving
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March 24, 2026

頊xū(xu1)

The character 頊 (xū) conveys feelings of anxiety or grief. It is often used in literary or poetic contexts to express deep emotional distress or sorrow, typically in relation to loss or longing.

Strokes13Radical頁
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, themes of anxiety and grief are prevalent, often reflecting the cultural value placed on familial bonds and the consequences of separation or loss.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person with a heavy heart, their head bowed, symbolizing the weight of their worries. The left side of the character resembles a head (the radical 頁), while the right side suggests a sense of burden, connecting it to the feeling of anxiety.

Meanings of 頊

xū(xu1)
1anxious, grieving
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 頊

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

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Podcast: 頊

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AI Study Notes for 頊

Usage Notes

This character is more commonly found in literary texts rather than everyday conversation, which can lead to misunderstandings if used in casual settings. Be careful with the tone, as it may be confused with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings.

HSK Study Tips

Though 頊 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can be connected to HSK Level 5 words related to emotions and literature. Focus on understanding its usage in poems or classical texts to enhance your vocabulary in expressive contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 頊 with similar characters like 悲 (bēi) which means 'sadness'. Remember that 頊 specifically conveys anxiety or grieving rather than general sadness.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 頊

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Etymology of 頊

Decomposition of 頊

IDS Structure⿰王頁
頊Full Character
=
王Wang2
left
頁ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 頊?

How to say anxious, grieving in Chinese

“anxious, grieving” in Chinese is頊xū

The character 頊 (xū) conveys feelings of anxiety or grief. It is often used in literary or poetic contexts to express deep emotional distress or sorrow, typically in relation to loss or longing.

When to use 頊

This character is more commonly found in literary texts rather than everyday conversation, which can lead to misunderstandings if used in casual settings. Be careful with the tone, as it may be confused with similar-sounding characters that have different meanings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 頊 with similar characters like 悲 (bēi) which means 'sadness'. Remember that 頊 specifically conveys anxiety or grieving rather than general sadness.

Write 頊

頊

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

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Word Family of 頊

Words Containing This Character2
顼xūgrieved頊
颛顼Zhuan Xu, one of the Five Legendary Emperors 五帝[wǔ​dì], grandson of the Yellow Emperor 黃帝|黄帝[Huáng​dì], trad. reigned 2513-2435 BC顓頊
Exercise 1 of 2

Characters with 頊

What does 顼 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 頊

You might see 頊 in a phrase like '心中頊' (xīnzhōng xū), meaning 'anxiety in the heart'.

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