HSK 4, nr, 8 strokes, radical 广, rank #10766, Medium
府
fǔ
government repository (archive)
HSK 4, nr, 8 strokes, radical 广, rank #10766, Medium
府
fǔ
official residence
HSK 4, nr, 8 strokes, radical 广, rank #10766, Medium
府
fǔ
mansion
HSK 4, nr, 8 strokes, radical 广, rank #10766, Medium
府
fǔ
presidential palace
HSK 4, nr, 8 strokes, radical 广, rank #10766, Medium
府
fǔ
(honorific) Your home
HSK 4, nr, 8 strokes, radical 广, rank #10766, Medium
府
fǔ
prefecture (from Tang to Qing times)
HSK 4, nr, 8 strokes, radical 广, rank #10766, Medium
府
fǔ
prefect; prefecture, government
HSK 4, nr, 8 strokes, radical 广, rank #10766, Medium
fǔ(fu3) T3
1seat of government
2government repository (archive)
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March 24, 2026
府fǔ(fu3)
The character 府 (fǔ) primarily refers to a seat of government or an official residence, often used in the context of historical governance in China. It can denote places like a prefecture or a mansion, indicating a significant administrative or residential space. In modern usage, it may also serve as a term of respect when referring to someone's home.
Strokes8Radical广Frequency#10766DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
The concept of a '府' reflects China's historical governance structures, where local officials were based in designated seats of power, influencing the administrative divisions that exist today. This term can also be seen in modern contexts such as '省府' (shěngfǔ) meaning 'provincial government'.
Memory Tip
Imagine a grand mansion with tall walls (the radical 府 resembles a house) where important government decisions are made. You can picture a 'fu' (pronounced like 'foo') with officials discussing laws, which links the shape of the character to its meaning of a government seat.
Meanings of 府
fǔ(fu3)
1seat of government
2government repository (archive)
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 府
府Simplified
8Strokes
广Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#10766Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4
Podcast: 府
Podcast: 府
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AI Study Notes for 府
Quick Contrast
府 (fǔ) vs 院 (yuàn): Use 府 for official residences or government seats, while 院 refers to courtyards or institutions.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 府 with other characters that denote buildings or homes, like 房 (fáng) for house. The term is more formal and typically used in written contexts, especially in historical or governmental discussions. It often appears in phrases like '府邸' (fǔdǐ) meaning 'official residence'.
HSK Study Tips
Although 府 is not listed in the HSK, it is beneficial for learners at higher levels to understand governmental and historical terminology. Students should focus on recognizing its use in historical contexts and in modern administrative language.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 府 with 家 (jiā), which means 'home' in a more general sense. For example, saying '我家在府' (Wǒ jiā zài fǔ) would be incorrect; instead, use '我家在这里' (Wǒ jiā zài zhèlǐ) for 'My home is here'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 府
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Phonosemantic compound. 广 represents the meaning and 付 represents the sound.
1The meaning half广 carries the sense.
2The sound half付 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywide
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 府? 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 府?
Decomposition of 府
IDS Structure⿸广付
府Full Character
=
广Guang3
enclosing
付Fu4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 府?
How to say seat of government in Chinese
“seat of government” in Chinese is府fǔ
The character 府 (fǔ) primarily refers to a seat of government or an official residence, often used in the context of historical governance in China. It can denote places like a prefecture or a mansion, indicating a significant administrative or residential space. In modern usage, it may also serve as a term of respect when referring to someone's home.
When to use 府
Be careful not to confuse 府 with other characters that denote buildings or homes, like 房 (fáng) for house. The term is more formal and typically used in written contexts, especially in historical or governmental discussions. It often appears in phrases like '府邸' (fǔdǐ) meaning 'official residence'.
府 or something close to it
府 (fǔ) vs 院 (yuàn): Use 府 for official residences or government seats, while 院 refers to courtyards or institutions.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 府 with 家 (jiā), which means 'home' in a more general sense. For example, saying '我家在府' (Wǒ jiā zài fǔ) would be incorrect; instead, use '我家在这里' (Wǒ jiā zài zhèlǐ) for 'My home is here'.
Write 府
府
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Practice writing 府 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 府
府 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 8 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.
Guiyang Jingzhou Prefecture is Han Zhen Zhongyang county to county.
7
何得贾府亦乐此俗套?
hé dé jiǎ fǔ yì lè cǐ sú tào?
How could the Jia family sink to such vulgarity?
Word Family of 府
Compounds6
腐fu3decay
俯fu3variant of 俯[fǔ]
腑fu3bowels, entrails, viscera
捬
椨
焤
Words Containing This Character20
政府zhèngfǔgovernment
市政府city hall
府fǔmansion
首府shǒufǔcapital city of an autonomous region
县政府county administration縣政府
幕府administration of a military government
华府Washington, D.C.華府
总统府presidential palace總統府
中央政府central government
政府军government army政府軍
无政府主义anarchism無政府主義
王府prince's mansion
学府educational establishment學府
官府authorities
府邸mansion house
反政府anti-government (protest)
城府subtle
府上residence
王府井Wangfujing neighborhood of central Beijing, famous for shopping
联邦政府federal government聯邦政府
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 腐 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 府
Common phrases include '政府' (zhèngfǔ) for 'government' and '府邸' (fǔdǐ) for 'official residence'. Additionally, '府上' (fǔshàng) can be used to politely refer to someone's home.
Yes, 府 is still used in modern Chinese, particularly in formal contexts or when referring to historical or governmental buildings. It often appears in news articles and discussions about politics.
府 (fǔ) refers to various meanings including a seat of government, an official residence, or a mansion. It can also denote a government repository or archive. In some contexts, it is used honorifically to refer to someone's home.
府 can be used in phrases like '政府' (zhèngfǔ), meaning 'government', or '府邸' (fǔdǐ), meaning 'mansion' or 'official residence'. To use it in a sentence, you might say '他住在一个古老的府邸' (Tā zhù zài yīgè gǔlǎo de fǔdǐ), which translates to 'He lives in an old mansion.'
In modern Chinese, 府 can refer to an official residence, government office, or even be used honorifically to refer to someone's home.
No, 府 is more commonly found in formal writing or specific contexts related to government and administration.
Yes, phrases like '府邸' (official residence) or '省府' (provincial government) incorporate this character.
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