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March 24, 2026
巨jù(ju4)
The character 巨 (jù) means 'very large' or 'gigantic.' It is commonly used to describe size or magnitude and can also refer to something that is significant or important. You might encounter this word in contexts related to physical size, such as describing an enormous building or a large event.
Strokes4Radical匚Frequency#5359DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '巨' can be seen in the emphasis on large-scale projects, such as the Great Wall or grand festivals, which symbolize strength and unity.
Memory Tip
Imagine a giant (巨) holding a huge (jù) globe in its hands, emphasizing its tremendous size. The character looks like a person standing tall with arms wide open, symbolizing bigness and greatness.
Meanings of 巨
jù(ju4)
1very large
2huge
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About 巨
巨Simplified
4Strokes
匚Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#5359Frequency Rank
Podcast: 巨
Podcast: 巨
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AI Study Notes for 巨
Quick Contrast
巨大 (jùdà) vs 庞大 (pángdà) — use 巨 (jù) for a general sense of 'large' without implying overwhelming size, while 巨大 (jùdà) and 庞大 (pángdà) both suggest an even greater scale.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a giant (巨) holding a huge (jù) globe in its hands, emphasizing its tremendous size. The character looks like a person standing tall with arms wide open, symbolizing bigness and greatness.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 巨 with its similar-sounding word '居' (jū), which means 'to reside.' Be mindful of using 巨 in both informal and formal contexts, and remember it often pairs with words like '大' (dà, big) for emphasis on size.
HSK Study Tips
Though not part of the HSK vocabulary, 巨 is conceptually linked to HSK Level 2 words like '大' (big) and '高' (tall). Focus on using it in comparisons to enhance your vocabulary related to size.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '巨' can be seen in the emphasis on large-scale projects, such as the Great Wall or grand festivals, which symbolize strength and unity.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 巨 with similar characters like 巨大 (jùdà) and use them interchangeably; however, 巨 is more about the quality of being large, while 巨大 emphasizes extreme largeness. For example, saying '这个房子是巨' (This house is huge) is incorrect; the correct phrasing is '这个房子是巨大' (This house is gigantic).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 巨
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Pictograph of a carpenter's square, a tool for measuring right angles. Based on the original meaning "carpenter's square", now written as 矩. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
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Grammar Patterns of 巨
巨 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). It carries 5 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.
The domino effect if one train is cancelled is enormous.
8
岛的最高处耸立着一座巨大的黑色城堡。
dǎo de zuì gāo chǔ sǒng lì zháo yī zuò jù dà de hēi sè chéng bǎo。
The island is surmounted by a huge black castle.
9
当地的居民看见它伴着一声震耳欲聋的巨响撞向地面。
dāng dì de jū mín kàn jiàn tā bàn zháo yī shēng zhèn ěr yù lóng de jù xiǎng zhuàng xiàng dì miàn。
Local residents saw it plunge towards Earth with a deafening roar.
10
我儿子遭受了巨大痛苦，他失去了最要好的朋友。
wǒ ér zǐ zāo shòu le jù dà tòng kǔ， ， tā shī qù le zuì yào hǎo de péng。
My son has suffered terribly. He has lost his best friend.
Cultural Notes for 巨
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of '巨' can be seen in the emphasis on large-scale projects, such as the Great Wall or grand festivals, which symbolize strength and unity.
Word Family of 巨
Compounds29
拒ju4to resist
柜gui4variant of 櫃
距ju4at a distance of
矩ju3variant of 矩[jǔ]
炬ju4torch
苣ju4a kind of lettuce
钜ju4steel, iron; great
佢
秬
粔
讵ju4an interjection of surprise
乬
壾
奆
姖
岠
巪
弡
怇
昛
歫
洰ju4ditch, gutter; canal, channel
耟
蚷
螶
詎
鉅ju4steel, iron; great
駏
鮔
Words Containing This Character20
巨大jùdàhuge
巨jùhuge
巨人jùréngiant
巨星jùxīng(astronomy) giant star
巨蟹座Cancer (constellation and sign of the zodiac)
巨额jù’éa huge amount巨額
巨型jùxínggiant
巨头jùtóutycoon巨頭
艰巨jiānjùarduous艱巨
巨响loud sound巨響
巨款huge sum of money
巨石huge rock
巨资vast sum巨資
巨变great changes巨變
巨无霸giant巨無霸
巨幅extremely large (of paintings, photographs etc)
事无巨细lit. things are not separated according to their size (idiom)事無巨細
巨著monumental (literary) work
巨匠great master (of literature, music etc)
巨富enormous sum
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 拒 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 巨
Some synonyms for 巨 (jù) include '大' (dà), which means 'big,' and '庞大' (páng dà), which means 'enormous.' Each of these words can be used in different contexts, but they all convey a sense of largeness.
You should use 巨 (jù) when you want to express something that is exceptionally large or impressive, while 大 (dà) is more general and can be used for a variety of sizes. For example, '大苹果' (dà píng guǒ) means 'big apple,' but '巨苹果' (jù píng guǒ) suggests an exceptionally large apple.
巨 (jù) means very large or gigantic in Chinese. It is often used to describe something that is immense in size or scale. For example, you might say '巨大的房子' (jù dà de fáng zi) which means 'a gigantic house.'
You can use 巨 (jù) to emphasize the size of an object or concept. For example, '这座山很巨' (zhè zuò shān hěn jù) translates to 'This mountain is huge.' It's commonly used in both spoken and written Chinese to convey the idea of something being exceptionally large.
No, it can also describe importance or significance in contexts like '巨大的成就' (tremendous achievement).
Yes, it can be used metaphorically to express the magnitude of emotions or events.
