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姝 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
姝shūbeautiful, charming, gorgeous; pretty girlg, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #56974, Very Hard
姝shūpretty womanunknown, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #56974, Very Hard
shū(shu1)shu T1
  1. 1beautiful, charming, gorgeous; pretty girl
  2. 2pretty woman
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March 24, 2026

姝shū(shu1)

The character 姝 (shū) denotes beauty, charm, and attractiveness, often used to describe a pretty girl or woman. It carries a positive connotation and is often found in literary contexts or formal discussions about beauty.

Strokes9Radical女Frequency#56974DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the appreciation of beauty is often celebrated in poetry and art, where the term 姝 is frequently used to describe idealized feminine beauty, reflecting traditional values of elegance and grace.

Memory Tip

Imagine a graceful woman (representing beauty) wearing a traditional dress, where the left part (女) signifies 'woman' and the right part (秀) hints at 'excellence' or 'beauty'. Together, they create the image of a beautiful and charming lady.

Meanings of 姝

shū(shu1)
1beautiful, charming, gorgeous; pretty girl
2pretty woman
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 姝

姝Simplified
9Strokes
女Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 姝

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Podcast: 姝

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AI Study Notes for 姝

Quick Contrast

姝 (shū) vs 美 (měi): use 姝 for a more literary or formal context, while 美 is more commonly used in everyday language.

Usage Notes

While 姝 is a beautiful term, it can sound overly formal in everyday conversations. It is commonly used in poetry or literature rather than casual dialogue. Be cautious with the tone; using it inappropriately might come off as insincere.

HSK Study Tips

Although 姝 isn't included in HSK levels, understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to beauty and aesthetics. It connects to terms like 美 (měi, beautiful) and 漂亮 (piàoliang, pretty), which could be beneficial for learners looking at descriptive language.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 姝 with 美 (měi) or 漂亮 (piàoliang), using them interchangeably in all contexts. For example, one might say 姝 to describe a sunset, which is incorrect; it's more suitable for women.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 姝

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Etymology of 姝

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

woman

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

Origin

姝 = 女 + 朱. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 姝

IDS Structure⿰女朱
姝Full Character
=
女nü3
left
朱Zhu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 姝?

How to say beautiful, charming, gorgeous; pretty girl in Chinese

“beautiful, charming, gorgeous; pretty girl” in Chinese is姝shū

The character 姝 (shū) denotes beauty, charm, and attractiveness, often used to describe a pretty girl or woman. It carries a positive connotation and is often found in literary contexts or formal discussions about beauty.

When to use 姝

While 姝 is a beautiful term, it can sound overly formal in everyday conversations. It is commonly used in poetry or literature rather than casual dialogue. Be cautious with the tone; using it inappropriately might come off as insincere.

姝 or something close to it

姝 (shū) vs 美 (měi): use 姝 for a more literary or formal context, while 美 is more commonly used in everyday language.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 姝 with 美 (měi) or 漂亮 (piàoliang), using them interchangeably in all contexts. For example, one might say 姝 to describe a sunset, which is incorrect; it's more suitable for women.

Write 姝

姝

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

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Word Family of 姝

Words Containing This Character1
姝shūpretty woman

Frequently Asked Questions about 姝

No, 姝 is more commonly found in literary or poetic contexts rather than in everyday speech.

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