Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
糊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
congeeHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
making a livingHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
pasteHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
creamHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
muddled; paste; to stick on with pasteHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
scorchedHSK 7, unknown, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
congeeHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
making a livingHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
pasteHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
creamHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
muddled; paste; to stick on with pasteHSK 7, a, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
scorchedHSK 7, unknown, 15 strokes, radical 米, rank #9939, Hard
(hu2)
primary
T2
  1. 1congee
  2. 2making a living
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(䊀)(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.

Strokes15RadicalFrequency#9939DifficultyHard
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

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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 糊

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

Podcast: 糊

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 糊?

Decomposition of 糊

IDS Structure⿰米胡
Full Character
=
Mi3
left
Hu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 糊?

Write 糊

Practice writing 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

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

vs
zhǔ

Similar shape and sound, but different meanings.

vs

Same pronunciation but different meanings and usages.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "congee"?

or

Example Sentences for 糊 (10)

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 shì qíng nòng dé yī tā hū tú。

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。

yǎn lèi huá huá dì liú xià lái, , tā de shì xiàn yī xià zǐ jiù mó hū。

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 yǒng qǐ yī zhèn qiáng liè de gǎn qíng, , mó hū le tā de pàn duàn。

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 kàn jiàn lìng yǒu yī xiē mó hū de yǐng zǐ huǎng le yī xià jiù bù jiàn 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 xié yì fēi cháng hán hū, , kě yǐ yǒu duō zhǒng jiě。

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 shuō huà xiàng gè hū lǐ hū tú dān yú huàn xiǎng 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 kāi shǐ jì shì, , dàn yě zhī shì jǐn jǐn yǒu xiē mó hū de yìn。

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, , fǒu zé nǐ huì bǎ wǒ gǎo hū tú。

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。

yào shì bù cháng yòng nǎo zǐ, , nǐ jiù huì biàn dé hū tú qǐ。

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 hán hū hū dì zhǎo le gè bié jiǎo de jiè kǒu, , xiǎng yào jiě shì zì jǐ wéi shí mó shuì zháo。

He mumbled some lame excuse about having gone to sleep.

Cultural Notes for 糊

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Word Family of 糊

Words Containing This Character20
模糊móhuvague
糊涂hútumuddled糊塗
muddled
一塌糊涂yìtāhútúcomplete shambles一塌糊塗
迷糊dazed
糊弄to fool
含糊hánhuambiguous
迷迷糊糊in a daze
糊口to scrape a meager living
模糊不清indistinct
浆糊paste漿糊
糊里糊涂confused糊裡糊塗
稀里糊涂muddleheaded稀裏糊塗
黏糊sticky
面糊starchy麵糊
血肉模糊to be badly mangled or mutilated (idiom)
老糊涂dotard老糊塗
养家糊口to support one's family (idiom); to have difficulty feeding a family養家糊口
不含糊unambiguous
糊糊viscous
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

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.