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囑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
囑zhǔto instruct, to order, to tell; testamentx, 24 strokes, radical 口
zhǔ(zhu3)zhu T3
  1. 1to instruct, to order, to tell; testament
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March 24, 2026

囑zhǔ(zhu3)

The character 囑 (zhǔ) means to instruct or order someone to do something, often in a formal context. It can also refer to a testament or a message that conveys important instructions or wishes. This character is commonly used in settings where clear directives or final wishes are required.

Strokes24Radical口
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of passing down instructions or wishes is highly valued, especially in family settings. This is reflected in practices like writing wills or giving life advice to children.

Memory tip

Imagine a wise old man (representing authority) giving instructions to his children under a tree (the radical '囗' suggests a boundary or enclosure). The sound 'zhǔ' is like 'jew'—think of a family heirloom being passed down with specific instructions.

Meanings of 囑

zhǔ(zhu3)
1to instruct, to order, to tell; testament
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 囑

囑Simplified
24Strokes
口Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 囑

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AI Study Notes for 囑

Quick Contrast

嘱 (zhǔ) - use 囑 (zhǔ) for formal instructions or orders, while 嘱 (zhǔ) is more often used in informal or spoken contexts.

Usage Notes

因囑 is often used in formal settings, so it may sound out of place in casual conversations. It's commonly found in legal contexts or when discussing wills. Be mindful of tone; using the wrong tone could confuse its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 囑 is not currently part of the HSK vocabulary list, it can be connected to other characters involving instruction or communication, such as 告 (gào) which means to inform. Students should focus on recognizing this character in formal texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 囑 with 祝 (zhù), which means to wish or bless. For example, saying '我囑你生日快乐' (I instruct you a happy birthday) instead of '我祝你生日快乐' (I wish you a happy birthday) is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 囑

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Etymology of 囑

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)屬
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

囑 = 口 + 屬. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 囑

IDS Structure⿰口屬
囑Full character
=
口kou3
left
屬shu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 囑?

How to say to instruct, to order, to tell; testament in Chinese

“to instruct, to order, to tell; testament” in Chinese is囑zhǔ

The character 囑 (zhǔ) means to instruct or order someone to do something, often in a formal context. It can also refer to a testament or a message that conveys important instructions or wishes. This character is commonly used in settings where clear directives or final wishes are required.

When to use 囑

因囑 is often used in formal settings, so it may sound out of place in casual conversations. It's commonly found in legal contexts or when discussing wills. Be mindful of tone; using the wrong tone could confuse its meaning.

囑 or something close to it

嘱 (zhǔ) - use 囑 (zhǔ) for formal instructions or orders, while 嘱 (zhǔ) is more often used in informal or spoken contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 囑 with 祝 (zhù), which means to wish or bless. For example, saying '我囑你生日快乐' (I instruct you a happy birthday) instead of '我祝你生日快乐' (I wish you a happy birthday) is incorrect.

Write 囑

囑

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

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Word Family of 囑

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 囑

What does 遗嘱 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 囑

囑 emphasizes formal instructions or orders, while 告 is more about informing or telling someone something.

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