Meanings of 猝
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About 猝
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Podcast: 猝
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AI study notes for 猝
猝 (cù) vs 突 (tū) — use 猝 for suddenness with a sense of unexpectedness, while 突 emphasizes the idea of a sudden action or occurrence without the same nuance of surprise.
Learners often confuse 猝 with other characters meaning 'sudden' or 'quick', such as 急 (jí) or 快 (kuài). It is typically used in more formal contexts, especially in written Chinese. Common collocations include 猝死 (sudden death) and 猝然 (suddenly).
While 猝 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it is useful for advanced learners. Students should focus on contexts where suddenness is emphasized, linking it to other HSK vocabulary related to time and change.
Learners sometimes confuse 猝 with 突 (tū), which also means sudden but is more informal. For example, saying 突死 instead of 猝死 is incorrect in formal contexts.
Pronunciation of 猝
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Etymology of 猝
Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 卒 represents the sound.
dog
Origin
猝 = 犭 + 卒. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 猝
Parts
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How to say sudden, abrupt in Chinese
“sudden, abrupt” in Chinese is猝
The character 猝 (cù) means sudden or abrupt, often referring to unexpected events or actions. It is commonly used in contexts such as sudden changes, unexpected news, or abrupt occurrences in both speech and writing.
When to use 猝
Learners often confuse 猝 with other characters meaning 'sudden' or 'quick', such as 急 (jí) or 快 (kuài). It is typically used in more formal contexts, especially in written Chinese. Common collocations include 猝死 (sudden death) and 猝然 (suddenly).
猝 or something close to it
猝 (cù) vs 突 (tū) — use 猝 for suddenness with a sense of unexpectedness, while 突 emphasizes the idea of a sudden action or occurrence without the same nuance of surprise.
What learners get wrong
Learners sometimes confuse 猝 with 突 (tū), which also means sudden but is more informal. For example, saying 突死 instead of 猝死 is incorrect in formal contexts.
Write 猝
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Practice writing 猝 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar patterns of 猝
猝 functions as a four-character idiom (成语). Treat it as a fixed unit; it usually plays the role of a single adjective, adverb, or noun phrase inside the larger sentence. It carries 2 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.
Fill the gap
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看上去，她好像被摄影师搞了个____不及防。
She looked as if the photographer had caught her by surprise.
Example sentences for 猝 (4)
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Word Family of 猝
Words with 猝
What does 猝死 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 猝
You can say 猝死 (cùsǐ) to mean 'sudden death', often used in news reports or discussions about unexpected tragedies.
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