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竘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
竘qǔThe character 竘 (qǔ) is not commonly used in modern Mandarin and primarily appears in historical texts. It conveys the meaning of a 'cave' or 'hole,' often in a context related to underground spaces or shelters. Due to its rarity, it's mainly of interest in classical literature or specialized studies.10 strokes, radical 立
qǔ(qu3) T3
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March 24, 2026

竘qǔ(qu3)

The character 竘 (qǔ) is not commonly used in modern Mandarin and primarily appears in historical texts. It conveys the meaning of a 'cave' or 'hole,' often in a context related to underground spaces or shelters. Due to its rarity, it's mainly of interest in classical literature or specialized studies.

Strokes10Radical立
Cultural Note

In ancient China, caves were often used as shelters or places of worship, making this character relevant in discussions about historical living conditions or spiritual practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a cave (竘) where you can dive to explore the depths. The character resembles a cave entrance with its horizontal and vertical strokes symbolizing the opening, while the 'qǔ' sound can remind you of 'cue' as in a cue for an adventure underground.

About 竘

竘Simplified
10Strokes
立Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 竘

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Podcast: 竘

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AI Study Notes for 竘

Usage Notes

Since 竘 is an uncommon character, learners should be cautious about its context and avoid using it in everyday conversation. It's more applicable in literary or historical discussions. Pay attention to proper pronunciation, especially the third tone, which may be confused with other tones.

HSK Study Tips

Although not part of any HSK level, students should recognize 竘 as an example of more obscure vocabulary that enriches their understanding of Chinese literature. Focusing on characters that are more frequently used will be beneficial for practical conversations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 竘 with more common characters due to its rarity, such as mixing it up with similar-looking characters. For instance, using 竘 instead of 洞 (dòng), which means 'cave,' can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 竘

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Etymology of 竘

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Semantic (meaning)立
+
Phonetic (sound)句
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 竘

  1. 1The meaning half立 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half句 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 竘? 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 竘?

Decomposition of 竘

IDS Structure⿰立句
竘Full Character
=
立Li4
left
句gou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 竘?

How to say 竘 in Chinese

This in Chinese is竘qǔ

The character 竘 (qǔ) is not commonly used in modern Mandarin and primarily appears in historical texts. It conveys the meaning of a 'cave' or 'hole,' often in a context related to underground spaces or shelters. Due to its rarity, it's mainly of interest in classical literature or specialized studies.

When to use 竘

Since 竘 is an uncommon character, learners should be cautious about its context and avoid using it in everyday conversation. It's more applicable in literary or historical discussions. Pay attention to proper pronunciation, especially the third tone, which may be confused with other tones.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 竘 with more common characters due to its rarity, such as mixing it up with similar-looking characters. For instance, using 竘 instead of 洞 (dòng), which means 'cave,' can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 竘

竘

Practice writing 竘 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 竘

No, 竘 is quite rare and primarily found in historical texts.

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