Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
纠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
纠jiūold variant of 糾zg, 5 strokes, radical 纟, rank #28742, Hard
纠jiū>纠[jiū]zg, 5 strokes, radical 纟, rank #28742, Hard
纠jiūto gather togetherzg, 5 strokes, radical 纟, rank #28742, Hard
纠jiūto investigatezg, 5 strokes, radical 纟, rank #28742, Hard
纠jiūto entanglezg, 5 strokes, radical 纟, rank #28742, Hard
纠jiūto correctzg, 5 strokes, radical 纟, rank #28742, Hard
纠jiūtangled; to investigate, to unravelzg, 5 strokes, radical 纟, rank #28742, Hard
纠jiūold variant of 糾|纠[jiu1]unknown, 5 strokes, radical 纟, rank #28742, Hard
jiū(jiu1) T1
  1. 1old variant of 糾
  2. 2>纠[jiū]
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

纠(糺)jiū(jiu1)

The character 纠 (jiū) primarily means to gather together, investigate, or correct something. It is commonly used in contexts where one needs to resolve a problem or clarify a situation, and it often implies a sense of entanglement or confusion that needs to be unraveled.

Strokes5Radical纟Frequency#28742DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 纠正 (to correct) is often associated with self-improvement and accountability, reflecting the Confucian value of learning from mistakes and making necessary corrections in one's behavior.

Memory Tip

Imagine a detective (investigator) gathering clues that are tangled together. The character 纠 visually suggests a knot, representing the complexity that needs to be sorted out. Remember, 'jiū' sounds like 'jew,' and you can picture a jeweler carefully untangling a necklace.

Meanings of 纠

jiū(jiu1)
1to gather together
2to investigate
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 纠

纠Simplified
糺Traditional
5Strokes
纟Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#28742Frequency Rank

Podcast: 纠

JasonAmy

Podcast: 纠

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 纠

Quick Contrast

纠 (jiū) vs 理 (lǐ) — use 纠 when emphasizing correction or resolution of a problem, while 理 is more about organizing or managing a situation.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a detective (investigator) gathering clues that are tangled together. The character 纠 visually suggests a knot, representing the complexity that needs to be sorted out. Remember, 'jiū' sounds like 'jew,' and you can picture a jeweler carefully untangling a necklace.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 纠 with similar characters like 纠缠 (jiūchán) meaning 'entangle'. It's used in both formal and informal contexts, but clarity in tone is crucial; ensure to pronounce it with a rising tone (first tone). Common collocations include 纠正 (jiūzhèng) meaning 'to correct'.

HSK Study Tips

While 纠 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 4 words like 纠正 (to correct) or 纠纷 (dispute). Students should focus on its usage in phrases and common expressions to deepen understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 纠正 (to correct) is often associated with self-improvement and accountability, reflecting the Confucian value of learning from mistakes and making necessary corrections in one's behavior.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 纠 as if it were in a different tone, leading to misunderstandings. For instance, saying 'jiǔ' (which means 'nine') instead of 'jiū' can change the meaning entirely.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 纠

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 纠 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 纠

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 糾. Phonosemantic compound. 糹 represents the meaning and 丩 represents the sound. Originally written as 丩, a pictograph of two ropes entangled together.

Memory Hint

To connect 丩 threads 纟; 丩 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 纠?

Decomposition of 纠

IDS Structure⿰纟丩
纠Full Character
=
纟si1
left
丩jiu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 纠?

Write 纠

纠

Practice writing 纠 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 纠

纠 carries 8 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

这类____纷在18和19世纪大量增多。

Such disputes multiplied in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

Example Sentences for 纠 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这类纠纷在18和19世纪大量增多。

zhè lèi jiū fēn zài18 1819 hé 19 shì jì dà liáng。

Such disputes multiplied in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
2
他要求纠正他所声称的不公正的降级这一错误。

tā yào qiú jiū zhèng tā suǒ shēng chēng de bù gōng zhèng de jiàng jí zhè yī cuò wù。

He is seeking redress for what he alleges was an unfair demotion.
3
他终于纠正了自己的错误说法，提出要减少费用。

tā zhōng yú jiū zhèng le zì jǐ de cuò wù shuō fǎ， ， tí chū yào jiǎn shǎo fèi。

He finally corrected his misstatement and offered to reduce the fee.
4
他让我们纠正错误，否则后果自负。

tā ràng wǒ mén jiū zhèng cuò wù， ， fǒu zé hòu guǒ zì。

He told us to put it right, or else.
5
我犯了从医的大忌：跟病人有了感情纠葛。

wǒ fàn le cóng yī de dà jì： ： gēn bìng rén yǒu le gǎn qíng jiū。

I committed the physician's cardinal sin: I got involved with my patients.
6
不合适的洗发水会使卷发纠结成乱糟糟的一团。

bù hé shì de xǐ fā shuǐ huì shǐ juàn fā jiū jié chéng luàn zāo zāo de yī tuán。

The wrong shampoo can leave curly hair in a tangled mess.
7
帕克斯往往会跟他的拍摄对象产生感情纠葛。

pà kè sī wǎng wǎng huì gēn tā de pāi shè duì xiàng chǎn shēng gǎn qíng jiū gé。

Parks has a tendency to become personally involved with his photographic subjects.
8
这件事肯定会在国际政坛上纠缠不清。

zhè jiàn shì kěn dìng huì zài guó jì zhèng tán shàng jiū chán bù qīng。

This case was bound to get entangled in international politics.
9
这场纠纷可能会让澳大利亚劳资关系稳定这一来之不易的名声毁于一旦。

zhè cháng jiū fēn kě néng huì ràng ào dà lì yà láo zī guān xì wěn dìng zhè yī lái zhī bù yì de míng shēng huǐ yú yī dàn。

The dispute could destroy Australia's hard-won reputation for industrial stability.
10
那个男孩纠缠着老师给他提分(数).

nà gè nán hái jiū chán zháo lǎo shī gěi tā tí fēn( ().

The boy importuned the teacher to raise his mark.

Cultural Notes for 纠

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of 纠正 (to correct) is often associated with self-improvement and accountability, reflecting the Confucian value of learning from mistakes and making necessary corrections in one's behavior.

Word Family of 纠

Words Containing This Character12
纠正jiūzhèngto correct糾正
纠缠jiūchánto nag糾纏
纠纷jiūfēndispute糾紛
纠结to intertwine糾結
纠葛dispute糾葛
纠jiūto entangle糾
纠集to muster糾集
纠错to correct an error糾錯
纠察to maintain order糾察
纠缠不清hopelessly muddled糾纏不清
纠偏to correct an error糾偏
纠合gathering糾合
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 纠正 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 纠

It's commonly used when discussing resolving issues or correcting mistakes, for example, '我需要纠正我的错误' (I need to correct my mistake).