Mandarin TempleCome for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
糊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
糊húcongeeHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊húmaking a livingHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊húpasteHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊húcreamHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊húmuddled; paste; to stick on with pasteHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊húscorchedHSK 7, unknown, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊hùcongeeHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊hùmaking a livingHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊hùpasteHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊hùcreamHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊hùmuddled; paste; to stick on with pasteHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
糊hùscorchedHSK 7, unknown, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Very Hard
hú(hu2)hu
primary
 T2
  1. 1congee
  2. 2making a living
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

糊(䊀)hú(hu2)

The character 糊 (hú) primarily refers to a thick paste or cream-like substance, often used in cooking and baking. It can also denote the act of applying a sticky substance, as well as being associated with being muddled or confused. Common usage includes describing food items like congee or discussing adhesives in various contexts.

Strokes15Radical米Frequency#9939DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, congee (粥) is a staple food often enjoyed for breakfast, especially when one is feeling under the weather. 糊 is significant in the preparation of various traditional dishes where paste-like textures are essential.

Memory tip

Imagine a chef named Hu who is always in a rush, creating a delicious creamy paste that sticks everything together. The character 糊 visually resembles a pot (the radical '米' for rice) containing a thick mixture, reminding you of tasty congee.

Meanings of 糊

hú(hu2)
primary
1congee
2making a living
Exercise 1 of 3

By ear

Play it, then pick what 糊 means.

About 糊

糊Simplified
䊀Traditional
15Strokes
米Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#9939Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 糊

JasonAmy

Podcast: 糊

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 糊

Quick Contrast

糊 (hú) vs 粘 (zhān) — use 糊 for thick pastes or mixtures, while 粘 refers specifically to stickiness or adhesion.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 糊 with similar sounding characters, particularly the tone. Remember that 糊 is pronounced with the second tone (hú) and can imply a sticky or paste-like texture. It is typically used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with its nuances in different culinary discussions.

HSK Study Tips

While 糊 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 2 words related to food and cooking. Students should focus on understanding its application in culinary contexts and practice using it alongside related words like 粥 (zhōu) for congee.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is to confuse 糊 (hú) with the character 胡 (hú), which has different meanings. For example, saying 糊你来 (hú nǐ lái) instead of 胡你来 (hú nǐ lái) changes the meaning entirely. Always check the context and tone.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 糊

Premium — Locked

Tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 糊, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsPitch drawing+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 糊 to you

Let me explain 糊 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 糊 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

How well do you know 糊?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 糊 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 糊

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 米 represents the meaning and 胡 represents the sound. Simplified form of 餬.

Memory hint

grain

Semantic (meaning)米
+
Phonetic (sound)胡
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

糊 = 米 + 胡. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 糊

IDS Structure⿰米胡
糊Full character
=
米Mi3
left
胡Hu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 糊?

How to say congee in Chinese

“congee” in Chinese is糊hú

The character 糊 (hú) primarily refers to a thick paste or cream-like substance, often used in cooking and baking. It can also denote the act of applying a sticky substance, as well as being associated with being muddled or confused. Common usage includes describing food items like congee or discussing adhesives in various contexts.

When to use 糊

Learners often confuse 糊 with similar sounding characters, particularly the tone. Remember that 糊 is pronounced with the second tone (hú) and can imply a sticky or paste-like texture. It is typically used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with its nuances in different culinary discussions.

糊 or something close to it

糊 (hú) vs 粘 (zhān) — use 糊 for thick pastes or mixtures, while 粘 refers specifically to stickiness or adhesion.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is to confuse 糊 (hú) with the character 胡 (hú), which has different meanings. For example, saying 糊你来 (hú nǐ lái) instead of 胡你来 (hú nǐ lái) changes the meaning entirely. Always check the context and tone.

Write 糊

糊

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 糊

糊 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 6 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.

Related grammar lessons5
Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

我可不想让你把事情弄得一塌____涂。

I have no intention of letting you balls it up.

Common confusions with 糊

糊vs煮
zhǔ

Similar shape and sound, but different meanings.

糊vs胡
hú

Same pronunciation but different meanings and usages.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “congee”?

or

Example sentences for 糊 (16)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我可不想让你把事情弄得一塌糊涂。

wǒ kě bù xiǎng ràng nǐ bǎ shìqing nòng de yìtāhútú。

I have no intention of letting you balls it up.
2
眼泪哗哗地流下来，她的视线一下子就模糊了。

yǎnlèi huā huā dì liú xiàlái， tā de shìxiàn yīxiàzi jiù móhu le。

The tears were streaming so fast she could not see.
3
心头涌起一阵强烈的感情，模糊了他的判断力。

xīn tóu chōng qǐ yízhèn qiángliè de gǎnqíng， móhu le tā de pànduàn lì。

A tide of emotion rose and clouded his judgement.
4
我看见另有一些模糊的影子晃了一下就不见了。

wǒ kànjiàn lìng yǒuyīxiē móhu de yǐngzi huǎng le yíxià jiù bújiàn le。

I saw other indistinct shapes that stayed out of vision.
5
这份协议非常含糊，可以有多种解释。

zhè fèn xiéyì fēicháng hánhu， kěyǐ yǒu duōzhǒng jiěshì。

This agreement is very ambiguous and open to various interpretations.
6
你说话像个糊里糊涂耽于幻想的人。

nǐ shuōhuà xiàng gè hú lǐ hútu dān yú huànxiǎng de rén。

You're talking like an addled romantic.
7
伦敦空袭那阵我已开始记事，但也只是仅仅有些模糊的印象。

lún dūn kōng xí nà zhèn wǒ yǐ kāishǐ jì shì， dàn yě zhǐshì jǐnjǐn yǒuxiē móhu de yìnxiàng。

I am old enough to remember the Blitz, but only just.
8
别跑题，否则你会把我搞糊涂的。

bié pǎo tí， fǒuzé nǐ huì bǎ wǒ gǎo hútu de。

Let's keep to the subject, or you'll get me too confused.
9
要是不常用脑子，你就会变得糊涂起来。

yàoshi bù chángyòng nǎozi， nǐ jiù huì biàn de hútu qǐlái。

If you don't keep your brain working you go gaga.
10
他含含糊糊地找了个蹩脚的借口，想要解释自己为什么睡着了。

tā hán hánhu hú dì zhǎo le gè bié jiǎo de jièkǒu， xiǎngyào jiěshì zìjǐ wèishénme shuìzháo le。

He mumbled some lame excuse about having gone to sleep.
11
小王的画因为雨水变得模糊不清，原本精细的细节都消失了。

Xiǎo Wáng de huà yīnwèi yǔshuǐ biàn de móhú bù qīng, yuánběn jīngxì de xìjié dōu xiāoshī le.

Xiao Wang's painting became blurred due to the rain, and the intricate details disappeared.
12
由于时间久远，历史书中的一些记载变得模糊不清，需要仔细研究。

Yóuyú shíjiān jiǔyuǎn, lìshǐshū zhōng de yīxiē jìzǎi biàn de móhú bù qīng, xūyào zǐxì yánjiū.

Due to the passage of time, some records in the history book have become unclear and need careful study.
13
那段记忆太久了，已经变得模糊不清。

Nà duàn jìyì tài jiǔ le, yǐjīng biàn de móhú bù qīng.

That memory is too old and has become unclear.
14
他的声音模糊，听不太清楚。

Tā de shēngyīn móhú, tīng bù tài qīngchǔ.

His voice was indistinct and not very clear.
15
因为雾太大，远处的山都变得模糊了。

Yīnwèi wù tài dà, yuǎn chù de shān dōu biàn de móhú le.

Because the fog was too dense, the distant mountains became blurred.
16
他写的字很糊，看不出是什么。

Tā xiě de zì hěn hú, kàn bù chū shì shénme.

His handwriting is very blurred, making it hard to tell what it is.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 糊?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.

Word Family of 糊

Words containing this character20
模糊móhuvague
糊涂hútumuddled糊塗
糊húmuddled
一塌糊涂yìtāhútúcomplete shambles一塌糊塗
迷糊míhudazed
糊弄hùnongto fool
含糊hánhuambiguous
迷迷糊糊mímíhūhūin a daze
糊口húkǒuto scrape a meager living
模糊不清móhubùqīngindistinct
浆糊jiànghupaste漿糊
糊里糊涂húlihútúconfused糊裡糊塗
稀里糊涂xīlihútumuddleheaded稀裏糊塗
黏糊niánhusticky
面糊miànhustarchy麵糊
血肉模糊xuèròumóhuto be badly mangled or mutilated (idiom)
老糊涂lǎohútudotard老糊塗
养家糊口yǎngjiāhúkǒuto support one's family (idiom); to have difficulty feeding a family養家糊口
不含糊bùhánhuunambiguous
糊糊húhuviscous
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 糊

What does 模糊 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 糊

糊 can refer to various types of pastes used in cooking, such as those for thickening sauces or creating congee.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 糊?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab