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婁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
婁lóua constellation; to wear; surnamezg, 11 strokes, radical 女
lóu(lou2) T2
  1. 1a constellation; to wear; surname
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March 24, 2026

婁lóu(lou2)

The character 婁 (lóu) primarily refers to a constellation in Chinese astronomy, specifically the 'Luo' constellation. It can also denote the act of wearing something and is used as a surname in China. This character is less common in everyday conversation but may appear in literary or historical contexts.

Strokes11Radical女
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, constellations were used for navigation and agricultural planning, making characters like 婁 significant in historical texts about astronomy. This reflects the deep connection between celestial observations and daily life in ancient China.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'lone' person (sounds like lóu) wearing a beautiful robe under a starry sky, representing the constellation. The character itself combines the radical for 'woman' (女) with 'road' (辶), hinting at a journey or path that a woman might take while wearing something elegant.

Meanings of 婁

lóu(lou2)
1a constellation; to wear; surname
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 婁

婁Simplified
11Strokes
女Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 婁

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Podcast: 婁

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AI Study Notes for 婁

Usage Notes

While 婁 is not a commonly used character in daily life, it's important to note that when discussing constellations, the context should be clear to avoid confusion with other meanings. In formal settings, it may appear in academic discussions about astronomy or historical texts.

HSK Study Tips

As an uncommon character, 婁 is not included in standard HSK levels. However, students at higher levels should focus on recognizing it in historical or literary contexts, particularly in texts discussing Chinese astronomy or surnames.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 婁 with similar-looking characters, such as 娄 (lóu), which has different meanings and uses. Always verify the context to ensure clarity in communication.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 婁

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Etymology of 婁

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 婁. Origin unclear.

Memory Hint

A daughter 女 looking up at her mother 母

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 婁

Simplified form of 婁. Origin unclear.

  1. 1The giveawayA daughter 女 looking up at her mother 母
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 婁? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 婁?

Decomposition of 婁

IDS Structure⿱母女
婁Full Character
=
母mu3
top
女nü3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 婁?

How to say a constellation; to wear; surname in Chinese

“a constellation; to wear; surname” in Chinese is婁lóu

The character 婁 (lóu) primarily refers to a constellation in Chinese astronomy, specifically the 'Luo' constellation. It can also denote the act of wearing something and is used as a surname in China. This character is less common in everyday conversation but may appear in literary or historical contexts.

When to use 婁

While 婁 is not a commonly used character in daily life, it's important to note that when discussing constellations, the context should be clear to avoid confusion with other meanings. In formal settings, it may appear in academic discussions about astronomy or historical texts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 婁 with similar-looking characters, such as 娄 (lóu), which has different meanings and uses. Always verify the context to ensure clarity in communication.

Write 婁

婁

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 婁

Words Containing This Character11
娄lóusurname Lou婁
娄子trouble婁子
娄底Loudi prefecture-level city in Hunan婁底
娄底市Loudi prefecture-level city in Hunan婁底市
捅娄子to make a mess of sth捅婁子
娄烦县Loufan county in Taiyuan 太原[Tài​yuán], Shanxi婁煩縣
娄烦Loufan county in Taiyuan 太原[Tài​yuán], Shanxi婁煩
娄星区Louxing district of Loudi city 婁底市|娄底市[Lóu​dǐ​shì], Hunan婁星區
娄底地区Loudi prefecture in Hunan婁底地區
出娄子to cause trouble出婁子
娄星Louxing district of Loudi city 婁底市|娄底市[Lóu​dǐ​shì], Hunan婁星
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 娄 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 婁

In modern Chinese, 婁 primarily refers to the Luo constellation and is less commonly used in everyday language.

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