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嘱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嘱zhǔto enjoinv, 15 strokes, radical 口, rank #44818, Very Hard
嘱zhǔto implorev, 15 strokes, radical 口, rank #44818, Very Hard
嘱zhǔto urgev, 15 strokes, radical 口, rank #44818, Very Hard
嘱zhǔto instruct, to order, to tell; testamentv, 15 strokes, radical 口, rank #44818, Very Hard
zhǔ(zhu3)zhu T3
  1. 1to enjoin
  2. 2to implore
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March 24, 2026

嘱(囑)zhǔ(zhu3)

The character 嘱 (zhǔ) means to enjoin or to urge someone to do something. It conveys a sense of strong recommendation, instruction, or imploring, often in contexts where guidance or a serious request is necessary, such as in wills or important advice.

Strokes15Radical口Frequency#44818DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of urging or instructing is often seen as a way to show concern and care, especially in familial or mentor-mentee relationships. This is particularly evident in the practice of writing last wishes or advice in a will, where the term 嘱 is often utilized.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise elder (the radical '口' for mouth) urging their grandchild (the radical '囗' for enclosure) to remember their important instructions. The sound 'zhǔ' can remind you of 'urge' as you picture the elder passionately stressing their point.

Meanings of 嘱

zhǔ(zhu3)
1to enjoin
2to implore
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 嘱 means.

About 嘱

嘱Simplified
囑Traditional
15Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#44818Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嘱

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Podcast: 嘱

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AI Study Notes for 嘱

Quick Contrast

嘱 (urge) vs 嘱托 (entrust) — use 嘱 when emphasizing the act of urging someone directly, while 嘱托 implies a sense of entrusting a responsibility or task.

Usage Notes

嘱 is often used in formal contexts, such as legal documents or serious conversations. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure you use the correct tone, as it is pronounced with the third tone (zhǔ). Common collocations include 嘱咐 (to instruct) and 嘱托 (to entrust).

HSK Study Tips

While嘱 is not included in the standard HSK vocabulary, it connects with themes of communication and instruction found in HSK levels 3 and 4. Focus on its usage in formal contexts and learn related terms like 嘱咐 to enhance your understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嘱 with similar characters like 祝 (to wish) and use it in inappropriate contexts. For example, saying '我祝你成功' (I urge you to succeed) should be corrected to '我嘱你成功', as the latter conveys a stronger sense of instruction.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嘱

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Etymology of 嘱

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

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 属 represents the sound. Simplified form of 囑.

Memory Hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)属
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

嘱 = 口 + 属. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 嘱

IDS Structure⿰口属
嘱Full Character
=
口kou3
left
属shu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 嘱?

How to say to enjoin in Chinese

“to enjoin” in Chinese is嘱zhǔ

The character 嘱 (zhǔ) means to enjoin or to urge someone to do something. It conveys a sense of strong recommendation, instruction, or imploring, often in contexts where guidance or a serious request is necessary, such as in wills or important advice.

When to use 嘱

嘱 is often used in formal contexts, such as legal documents or serious conversations. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure you use the correct tone, as it is pronounced with the third tone (zhǔ). Common collocations include 嘱咐 (to instruct) and 嘱托 (to entrust).

嘱 or something close to it

嘱 (urge) vs 嘱托 (entrust) — use 嘱 when emphasizing the act of urging someone directly, while 嘱托 implies a sense of entrusting a responsibility or task.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嘱 with similar characters like 祝 (to wish) and use it in inappropriate contexts. For example, saying '我祝你成功' (I urge you to succeed) should be corrected to '我嘱你成功', as the latter conveys a stronger sense of instruction.

Write 嘱

嘱

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

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Grammar Patterns of 嘱

嘱 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

“把她从你的遗____中删去,”他的侄子催促道。

"Cut her out of your will," urged his nephew.

Example Sentences for 嘱 (9)

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1
“把她从你的遗嘱中删去,”他的侄子催促道。

“ “ bǎ tā cóng nǐ de yí zhǔ zhōng shān,” qù ,” tā de zhí zǐ cuī。

"Cut her out of your will," urged his nephew.
2
你可以在文具店买到已印好的遗嘱单。

nǐ kě yǐ zài wén jù diàn mǎi dào yǐ yìn hǎo de yí zhǔ dān。

You can buy ready-printed forms for wills at stationery shops.
3
我遵照医嘱,将他关在屋子里直到他戒酒成功。

wǒ zūn zhào yī zhǔ, , jiāng tā guān zài wū zǐ lǐ zhí dào tā jiè jiǔ chéng。

I approved the doctor's order to keep him in the room till he was dried out.
4
他病得很重, 害怕会死去, 便立了遗嘱.

tā bìng dé hěn zhòng, , hài pà huì sǐ, qù , biàn lì le.

Being seriously ill, and in fear of death, he made his will.
5
除紧急情况外,输氧需遵医嘱.

chú jǐn jí qíng kuàng wài, , shū yǎng xū zūn yī.

The administration of oxygen requires a physician's order except in an emergency.
6
布罗夫先生折好遗嘱, 随即看看我的动静.

bù luó fū xiān shēng zhē hǎo yí zhǔ, , suí jí kàn kàn wǒ de dòng.

Mr. Bruff folded up the will, and then looked my way.
7
他的医生嘱咐他戒酒.

tā de yī shēng zhǔ fù tā jiè jiǔ.

His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.
8
护士和护士向我道别,嘱咐我出院后该咋了做.

hù shì hé hù shì xiàng wǒ dào bié, , zhǔ fù wǒ chū yuàn hòu gāi zǎ le.

Doctors and nurses, to say theirss goodbyes and give orders.
9
老人的遗嘱已被窜改.

lǎo rén de yí zhǔ yǐ bèi cuàn gǎi.

The old man's will has been tampered with.

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Cultural Notes for 嘱

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, the concept of giving instructions or advice may be less formalized and can be perceived as a personal choice rather than a cultural obligation, unlike the emphasis placed on such duties in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 嘱

Words Containing This Character7
遗嘱yízhǔwill遺囑
嘱咐zhǔfùto tell囑咐
叮嘱dīngzhǔto urge叮囑
嘱zhǔto enjoin囑
医嘱doctor's advice醫囑
嘱托to entrust a task to sb else囑託
千叮万嘱repeatedly urging千叮萬囑
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 嘱

What does 遗嘱 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嘱

嘱 is more commonly found in formal or written contexts rather than casual conversations, where simpler verbs might be used.

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