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术 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
术
shù
method
HSK 4, v, 5 strokes, radical 木, rank #2996, Medium
术
shù
various genera of flowers of Asteracea family (daisies and chrysanthemums), including Atractylis lancea
HSK 4, v, 5 strokes, radical 木, rank #2996, Medium
术
shù
technique
HSK 4, v, 5 strokes, radical 木, rank #2996, Medium
术
shù
skill, art; method, technique; trick
HSK 4, v, 5 strokes, radical 木, rank #2996, Medium
术
zhú
method
HSK 4, v, 5 strokes, radical 木, rank #2996, Medium
术
zhú
various genera of flowers of Asteracea family (daisies and chrysanthemums), including Atractylis lancea
HSK 4, v, 5 strokes, radical 木, rank #2996, Medium
术
zhú
technique
HSK 4, v, 5 strokes, radical 木, rank #2996, Medium
术
zhú
skill, art; method, technique; trick
HSK 4, v, 5 strokes, radical 木, rank #2996, Medium
shù(shu4)shu
primary
T4
1method
2various genera of flowers of Asteracea family (daisies and chrysanthemums), including Atractylis lancea
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March 24, 2026
术(術)shù(shu4)
The character 术 (shù) primarily means 'method' or 'technique' and is commonly used in contexts related to skills or arts. It is often found in compound words such as 技术 (jìshù), meaning 'technology' or 'skill', and 术语 (shùyǔ), meaning 'terminology'. The term can also refer to specific techniques in various fields, highlighting the importance of methodical approaches in Chinese culture.
Strokes5Radical木Frequency#2996DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of 术 is deeply tied to various practices such as martial arts (武术 wǔshù) and traditional medicine (中医术 zhōngyī shù), where methods and techniques are essential for mastery and effectiveness.
Memory tip
Imagine a magician performing a trick (术) with a bouquet of daisies. The magician's skill (shù) is not just in the performance but also in the meticulous method (术) behind each illusion. Visualize the magician pulling out different flowers (representing various techniques) from a hat, illustrating the connection between the character's form and meaning.
Meanings of 术
shù(shu4)
primary
1method
2various genera of flowers of Asteracea family (daisies and chrysanthemums), including Atractylis lancea
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 术
术Simplified
術Traditional
5Strokes
木Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2996Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4
Podcast: 术
Podcast: 术
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AI study notes for 术
Quick Contrast
技 (jì) vs 术 (shù): use 术 (shù) when emphasizing methods or techniques, while 技 (jì) focuses more on skills or abilities.
Usage Notes
When using 术, be aware that it often implies a degree of expertise or specialization. A common mistake is to confuse it with 方式 (fāngshì), which means 'way' or 'manner'. Remember to pair it with appropriate nouns to clarify the technique or method being referred to.
HSK Study Tips
Although 术 does not appear in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is closely related to other terms like 技 (jì) in HSK levels 3 and 4, which relates to skills. Focus on its usage in phrases to better understand its nuances and applications in conversation.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 术 with 方式 (fāngshì) when referring to methods, leading to incorrect phrases like 使用方式 instead of 使用术 (shǐyòng shù). Remember that 术 implies a specific technique, while 方式 is more general.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 术
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Simplified form of 術. Phonosemantic compound. 行 represents the meaning and 朮 represents the sound. The traditional component 行 was removed for simplification.
The character 术 (shù) primarily means 'method' or 'technique' and is commonly used in contexts related to skills or arts. It is often found in compound words such as 技术 (jìshù), meaning 'technology' or 'skill', and 术语 (shùyǔ), meaning 'terminology'. The term can also refer to specific techniques in various fields, highlighting the importance of methodical approaches in Chinese culture.
When to use 术
When using 术, be aware that it often implies a degree of expertise or specialization. A common mistake is to confuse it with 方式 (fāngshì), which means 'way' or 'manner'. Remember to pair it with appropriate nouns to clarify the technique or method being referred to.
术 or something close to it
技 (jì) vs 术 (shù): use 术 (shù) when emphasizing methods or techniques, while 技 (jì) focuses more on skills or abilities.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 术 with 方式 (fāngshì) when referring to methods, leading to incorrect phrases like 使用方式 instead of 使用术 (shǐyòng shù). Remember that 术 implies a specific technique, while 方式 is more general.
Write 术
术
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Grammar patterns of 术
术 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 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 new technique has been used to identify the sex of foetuses.
9
他的继承人把这幅画卖给了伦敦艺术品经销商阿格纽斯。
tā de jìchéng rén bǎ zhè fú huà mài gěi le lún dūn yìshù pǐn Jīng xiāo Shāng Ā gé niǔ Sī。
His heir sold the painting to the London art dealer Agnews.
10
科学家们越来越拿不准这一技术是否是正当合法的。
kēxué jiā men yuèláiyuè ná bùzhǔn zhè yī jìshù shìfǒu shì zhèngdàng héfǎ de。
Scientists are becoming increasingly unsure of the validity of this technique.
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Cultural Notes for 术
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of 术 (shù) is not just limited to techniques or methods but also encompasses skills and arts that have been refined over generations, such as martial arts (武术) or traditional Chinese medicine (中医术).
Word Family of 术
Compounds8
述shùto state
沭shùa river in Shantung province
怸xī
秫shúa glutinous variety of millet
訹xù
鉥shù
炢zhú
絉shù
Words containing this character20
技术jìshùtechnology技術
手术shǒushùsurgery手術
艺术yìshùart藝術
术shùmethod術
艺术家yìshùjiāartist藝術家
战术zhànshùtactics戰術
魔术móshùmagic魔術
学术xuéshùlearning學術
艺术品yìshùpǐnart piece藝術品
魔术师móshùshīmagician魔術師
科学技术kēxuéjìshùscience and technology科學技術
美术měishùart美術
武术wǔshùself-defense武術
术语shùyǔterm術語
巫术wūshùwitchcraft巫術
技术人员jìshùrényuántechnical staff技術人員
新技术xīnjìshùnew technology新技術
信息技术xìnxījìshùIT信息技術
心术xīnshùdesigns心術
技术员jìshùyuántechnician技術員
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 术
What does 述 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 术
Synonyms for 术 (shù) include 技巧 (jìqiǎo), which means 'skill,' and 方法 (fāngfǎ), which means 'method.' Each of these terms can be used in different contexts but generally convey similar meanings related to technique or skill.
In a botanical context, 术 (shù) refers to various genera of flowering plants within the Asteraceae family, including well-known flowers like daisies and chrysanthemums. This use highlights the term's versatility in both everyday and scientific language.
术 (shù, zhú) primarily means 'method' or 'technique' in Chinese. It can also refer to skill or art, and in a botanical context, it denotes various genera of flowers in the Asteraceae family, such as daisies and chrysanthemums.
You can use 术 (shù) in a sentence to refer to a specific method or technique. For example, you might say, '他的绘画术很高超' (Tā de huìhuà shù hěn gāochāo), which means 'His painting technique is superb.' This illustrates how the term can describe proficiency in a skill.
术 refers more to methods or techniques, while 技 emphasizes skills or abilities. They can be used together in contexts like 技术, which means 'technology'.
Yes, 术 can be used informally when discussing skills or methods in various contexts, but it's more prevalent in formal or specialized conversations.
Absolutely! 术 is often used in modern terms related to technology, medicine, and arts, showcasing its relevance today.
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