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March 24, 2026
恤(䘏)xù(xu4)
The character 恤 (xù) primarily conveys the meaning of providing help or relief, often in the context of offering sympathy to someone in distress. It is commonly used in phrases related to compassion, support, and emotional understanding.
Strokes9Radical忄Frequency#4254DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 恤 is closely tied to the tradition of social responsibility and caring for the less fortunate, often emphasized during festivals or community events.
Memory Tip
Imagine a heart (the radical 心) wrapped in a gentle hand (the radical 𠂉) that is offering comfort. The hand is 'xù'ing the heart, symbolizing the act of providing relief and sympathy.
Meanings of 恤
xù(xu4)
1to help, to relieve, to take pity on
2sympathy
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 恤
恤Simplified
䘏Traditional
9Strokes
忄Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 恤
Podcast: 恤
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AI Study Notes for 恤
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 恤 with its homophone 许 (xǔ), which means 'to allow' or 'to promise.' The character is more formal and is usually found in written Chinese, particularly in contexts discussing charity or emotional support. Pay attention to the tone, ensuring it is pronounced with a falling tone.
HSK Study Tips
Although 恤 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it can be related to emotional expressions found in HSK Level 4 and above, such as 同情 (tóngqíng, sympathy). Focus on understanding its usage in phrases that express compassion.
Common Mistakes
Learners might confuse 恤 with similar-sounding characters like 许 (xǔ), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我给他许' instead of '我给他恤' changes the intended message from 'I allow him' to 'I sympathize with him.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 恤
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Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 血 represents the sound. Simplified form of 卹.
1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
2The sound half血 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 恤? 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 恤?
Decomposition of 恤
IDS Structure⿰忄血
恤Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
血xue4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 恤?
How to say to help, to relieve, to take pity on in Chinese
“to help, to relieve, to take pity on” in Chinese is恤xù
The character 恤 (xù) primarily conveys the meaning of providing help or relief, often in the context of offering sympathy to someone in distress. It is commonly used in phrases related to compassion, support, and emotional understanding.
When to use 恤
Learners often confuse 恤 with its homophone 许 (xǔ), which means 'to allow' or 'to promise.' The character is more formal and is usually found in written Chinese, particularly in contexts discussing charity or emotional support. Pay attention to the tone, ensuring it is pronounced with a falling tone.
What learners get wrong
Learners might confuse 恤 with similar-sounding characters like 许 (xǔ), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '我给他许' instead of '我给他恤' changes the intended message from 'I allow him' to 'I sympathize with him.'
Write 恤
恤
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Practice writing 恤 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 恤
恤 carries 5 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
T____衫现在几乎成了伦敦西区时尚人士的必备之物。
T-shirts now seem almost de rigueur in the West End.
Example Sentences for 恤 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
T恤衫现在几乎成了伦敦西区时尚人士的必备之物。
T T xù shān xiàn zài jī hū chéng le lún dūn xī qū shí shàng rén shì de bì bèi zhī。
T-shirts now seem almost de rigueur in the West End.
