Meanings of 骷
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About 骷
Podcast: 骷
Podcast: 骷
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AI Study Notes for 骷
When using 骷, it's important to remember that it is often found in compound words related to bones or death (e.g., 骷髅, which means 'skull'). This word is relatively informal and may not be suitable for formal contexts discussing anatomy. Be careful with the tone; 'kū' is pronounced with a high-level tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.
Although 骷 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it relates to other HSK words about body parts and anatomy, such as 身体 (shēntǐ, body) and 骨头 (gǔtóu, bone). Students should focus on remembering the radical 骨 and its connection to skeletal terms.
Learners often confuse 骷 with other bone-related characters, like 骨 (gǔ), which means 'bone'. For example, saying 骷 instead of 骨 when discussing anatomy can lead to misunderstandings.
Pronunciation of 骷
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Etymology of 骷
Phonosemantic compound. 骨 represents the meaning and 古 represents the sound.
bone
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 骷
Phonosemantic compound. 骨 represents the meaning and 古 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half骨 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half古 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaybone
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 骷? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 骷?
Decomposition of 骷
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 骷?
How to say skeleton in Chinese
“skeleton” in Chinese is骷
The character 骷 (kū) refers to a skeleton, specifically the structure of bones that supports the body of vertebrates. It is often used in contexts relating to anatomy, death, or as a metaphor for something that is empty or lacking substance.
When to use 骷
When using 骷, it's important to remember that it is often found in compound words related to bones or death (e.g., 骷髅, which means 'skull'). This word is relatively informal and may not be suitable for formal contexts discussing anatomy. Be careful with the tone; 'kū' is pronounced with a high-level tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 骷 with other bone-related characters, like 骨 (gǔ), which means 'bone'. For example, saying 骷 instead of 骨 when discussing anatomy can lead to misunderstandings.
Write 骷
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Practice writing 骷 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 骷
骷 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
____髅岛,东南东偏东.
Skeleton Island E . S . E . and by E.
Example Sentences for 骷 (3)
Reorder the Sentence
Skeleton Island E . S . E . and by E.
Word Family of 骷
Compound Meaning
What does 骷髅 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 骷
The pronunciation is 'kū', with a high-level tone. Practice saying it in isolation and within words.
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