Meanings of 烏
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About 烏
Podcast: 烏
Podcast: 烏
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AI Study Notes for 烏
乌 (wū) vs 鳥 (niǎo): Use 烏 when specifically referring to crows or similar birds, while 鳥 is a general term for all birds.
烏 is typically used in a descriptive sense and often appears in literary contexts. Learners should be mindful of its negative connotations in certain phrases, such as '黑烏' (hēi wū), meaning 'dark and ominous'. It is important to use the correct tone when pronouncing it, as 'wū' (with a high tone) is distinct from other similar sounds.
While 烏 is not currently in HSK vocabulary lists, it is useful for learners at higher levels looking to expand their vocabulary related to nature and animals. Students should also focus on recognizing how 烏 can combine with other characters to form compound words.
Learners often confuse 烏 (wū) with 黑 (hēi) due to their related meanings. For example, saying '我喜欢乌色' (wǒ xǐ huān wū sè) instead of '我喜欢黑色' (wǒ xǐ huān hēi sè) to mean 'I like black' is incorrect; the proper term for black color is 黑色.
Pronunciation of 烏
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Etymology of 烏
Simplified form of 烏. Pictograph of a crow. Similar to 鳥.
A crow; compare 鸟
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 烏
Simplified form of 烏. Pictograph of a crow. Similar to 鳥.
- 1The giveawayA crow; compare 鸟
- 2On the record aspictographic — someone drew the thing itself.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 烏? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 烏
Identify the Components
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How to say crow, rook, raven; black, dark in Chinese
“crow, rook, raven; black, dark” in Chinese is烏
The character 烏 (wū) primarily means 'crow' and can refer to other similar birds like rooks and ravens. It is often associated with the color black or darkness, both in a literal sense and in terms of mood or atmosphere, as crows are often seen as omens in various cultures.
When to use 烏
烏 is typically used in a descriptive sense and often appears in literary contexts. Learners should be mindful of its negative connotations in certain phrases, such as '黑烏' (hēi wū), meaning 'dark and ominous'. It is important to use the correct tone when pronouncing it, as 'wū' (with a high tone) is distinct from other similar sounds.
烏 or something close to it
乌 (wū) vs 鳥 (niǎo): Use 烏 when specifically referring to crows or similar birds, while 鳥 is a general term for all birds.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 烏 (wū) with 黑 (hēi) due to their related meanings. For example, saying '我喜欢乌色' (wǒ xǐ huān wū sè) instead of '我喜欢黑色' (wǒ xǐ huān hēi sè) to mean 'I like black' is incorrect; the proper term for black color is 黑色.
Write 烏
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Practice writing 烏 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 烏
Compound Meaning
What does 乌 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 烏
烏 refers specifically to the crow or the color black as it relates to these birds, while 黑 is a broader term for the color black.
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