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舅 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
舅jiùmaternal unclen, 13 strokes, radical 臼, rank #24007, Very Hard
舅jiùmother's brother, unclen, 13 strokes, radical 臼, rank #24007, Very Hard
jiù(jiu4) T4
  1. 1maternal uncle
  2. 2mother's brother, uncle
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

舅jiù(jiu4)

The character 舅 (jiù) refers to a maternal uncle, specifically your mother's brother. This term is commonly used in family contexts and carries a sense of familial respect and connection in Chinese culture.

Strokes13Radical臼Frequency#24007DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the maternal uncle plays a significant role in family hierarchy and is often regarded with affection and respect. Family gatherings frequently emphasize the importance of these relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a jovial uncle who wears a large hat (the character '舅' resembles a hat on top of a person). Picture him bringing gifts to your family gatherings, reminding you of the warmth and support that a maternal uncle provides.

Meanings of 舅

jiù(jiu4)
1maternal uncle
2mother's brother, uncle
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 舅

舅Simplified
13Strokes
臼Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#24007Frequency Rank

Podcast: 舅

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Podcast: 舅

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AI Study Notes for 舅

Quick Contrast

舅舅 (jiùjiu) refers to the same maternal uncle but is the diminutive or affectionate form, while 舅 (jiù) is the more formal term.

Usage Notes

While '舅' specifically means maternal uncle, be careful not to confuse it with '叔' (shū), which refers to a paternal uncle. This term is used in both formal and informal contexts, but often in family discussions.

HSK Study Tips

Although '舅' may not be in the HSK vocabulary, it connects to other family-related terms like '母亲' (mother) and '家' (home). Focus on how family relationships are articulated in Chinese to enhance your understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse '舅' with '叔' due to similar meanings. For example, saying '我的叔' (wǒ de shū) when meaning maternal uncle is incorrect; it should be '我的舅' (wǒ de jiù).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 舅

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Etymology of 舅

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

Phonosemantic compound. 男 represents the meaning and 臼 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

man

Semantic (meaning)男
+
Phonetic (sound)臼
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 舅

Phonosemantic compound. 男 represents the meaning and 臼 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half男 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half臼 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayman
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 舅? 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 舅?

Decomposition of 舅

IDS Structure⿱臼男
舅Full Character
=
臼jiu4
top
男nan2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 舅?

How to say maternal uncle in Chinese

“maternal uncle” in Chinese is舅jiù

The character 舅 (jiù) refers to a maternal uncle, specifically your mother's brother. This term is commonly used in family contexts and carries a sense of familial respect and connection in Chinese culture.

When to use 舅

While '舅' specifically means maternal uncle, be careful not to confuse it with '叔' (shū), which refers to a paternal uncle. This term is used in both formal and informal contexts, but often in family discussions.

舅 or something close to it

舅舅 (jiùjiu) refers to the same maternal uncle but is the diminutive or affectionate form, while 舅 (jiù) is the more formal term.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse '舅' with '叔' due to similar meanings. For example, saying '我的叔' (wǒ de shū) when meaning maternal uncle is incorrect; it should be '我的舅' (wǒ de jiù).

Write 舅

舅

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 舅

Words Containing This Character7
舅舅jiùjiumother's brother
舅jiùmaternal uncle
舅妈(coll.) aunt舅媽
小舅子(coll.) wife's younger brother
舅父mother's brother
舅母aunt
大舅子(coll.) wife's older brother
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 舅舅 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 舅

舅 (jiù) refers to a maternal uncle, while 叔 (shū) refers to a paternal uncle.

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