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肀 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
penzg, 4 strokes, radical 肀, Very Hard
(yu4) T4
  1. 1pen
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
()(yu4)

The character 肀 (yù) refers specifically to a type of pen or writing instrument. It is not commonly used in modern Mandarin and may appear in historical texts or specific contexts related to traditional writing tools.

Strokes4RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The character 肀 connects to Chinese calligraphy, a highly regarded art form in Chinese culture, where the choice of writing instruments can greatly influence the style and quality of the work.

Memory Tip

Imagine a traditional scholar sitting at a desk, using a fine pen (肀) to craft beautiful calligraphy. The character 肀 resembles a person (亻) holding a pen (the horizontal stroke at the top) ready to write.

Meanings of 肀

(yu4)
1pen
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 肀

Simplified
Traditional
4Strokes
Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 肀

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 肀

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a traditional scholar sitting at a desk, using a fine pen (肀) to craft beautiful calligraphy. The character 肀 resembles a person (亻) holding a pen (the horizontal stroke at the top) ready to write.

Usage Notes

肀 is rarely used in everyday conversation, often replaced by the more common term 笔 (bǐ) for 'pen'. Be cautious with register; using 肀 in informal settings may confuse listeners unfamiliar with archaic terms.

HSK Study Tips

Since 肀 is not included in any HSK levels, focus on related vocabulary like 笔 (bǐ) and 墨 (mò, ink) to build a more practical understanding of writing tools in Chinese.

Cultural Note

The character 肀 connects to Chinese calligraphy, a highly regarded art form in Chinese culture, where the choice of writing instruments can greatly influence the style and quality of the work.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 肀 with similar characters like 笔 (bǐ), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying 肀 instead of 笔 when referring to a pen in conversation would be incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 肀

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Etymology of 肀

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Memory Hint

A hand 彐 holding a pen; compare 聿

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 肀?

Decomposition of 肀

IDS Structure⿻彐丨
Full Character
=
ji4
outer
gun3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 肀?

Write 肀

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

Cultural Notes for 肀

🏮Cultural insight

The character 肀 connects to Chinese calligraphy, a highly regarded art form in Chinese culture, where the choice of writing instruments can greatly influence the style and quality of the work.

Frequently Asked Questions about 肀

No, 肀 is quite rare and typically found in historical or specialized contexts.