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March 24, 2026
苏(囌)sū(su1)
The character 苏 (sū) primarily means 'to revive' or 'to awaken.' It is commonly used in contexts relating to renewal, such as reviving spirits or awakening something that has been dormant. Additionally, it serves as a surname and is an abbreviation for Jiangsu province and Suzhou city, linking it to geographical significance in China.
Strokes7Radical艹Frequency#4069DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
苏州 (Suzhou), a city associated with beautiful gardens and silk production, is a significant cultural site in China. The character 苏 in this context highlights the city's importance in Chinese history and culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person who just woke up from a long sleep and is stretching to revive themselves. The character 苏 has a radical that resembles a person, which connects to the idea of awakening. Think of 'sū' as the sound of someone stretching and saying 'soooo good to be awake!'
Meanings of 苏
sū(su1)
1to revive
2Perilla frutescens (Chinese basil or wild red basil)
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 苏
苏Simplified
囌Traditional
7Strokes
艹Radical
简称abbreviation (abbr.)Part of Speech
#4069Frequency Rank
Podcast: 苏
Podcast: 苏
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AI Study Notes for 苏
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person who just woke up from a long sleep and is stretching to revive themselves. The character 苏 has a radical that resembles a person, which connects to the idea of awakening. Think of 'sū' as the sound of someone stretching and saying 'soooo good to be awake!'
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 苏 with similar-sounding characters like 诉 (sù, to sue) or 蘇 (sū, the variant with a different meaning). It is used in both formal and informal settings, so learners should pay attention to context. Note that it often appears in geographical names, so collocations with place names are common.
HSK Study Tips
Though 苏 is not currently included in HSK levels, it connects to HSK Level 3 vocabulary related to daily life and geographical locations. Students should focus on its usage in context, particularly with place names and expressions of revival.
Cultural Note
苏州 (Suzhou), a city associated with beautiful gardens and silk production, is a significant cultural site in China. The character 苏 in this context highlights the city's importance in Chinese history and culture.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 苏 with its variant 蘇, which has different usage. For example, saying '我苏了' instead of '我醒了' (I woke up) can lead to confusion.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 苏
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Grammar Patterns of 苏
苏 carries 13 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
渡船是____格兰边远地区的生命线。
Ferries are a lifeline to the far-flung corners of Scotland.
Example Sentences for 苏 (10)
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1
渡船是苏格兰边远地区的生命线。
dù chuán shì sū gé lán biān yuǎn dì qū de shēng mìng xiàn。
Ferries are a lifeline to the far-flung corners of Scotland.
2
她告诉我们她是某苏格兰勋爵的后裔。
tā gào sù wǒ mén tā shì mǒu sū gé lán xūn jué de hòu yì。
She told us she was descended from some Scottish Lord.
3
这几乎就是苏格兰局势的翻版。
zhè jī hū jiù shì sū gé lán jú shì de fān bǎn。
This is almost the mirror image of the situation in Scotland.
4
这位30岁的苏格兰国脚因和边裁争执而被罚下场。
zhè wèi30 30 suì de sū gé lán guó jiǎo yīn hé biān cái zhēng zhí ér bèi fá xià。
The 30-year-old Scottish international was sent off for arguing with a linesman.
Susan'sa very bright and intelligent woman who knows her own mind.
Cultural Notes for 苏
🏮Cultural insight
苏州 (Suzhou), a city associated with beautiful gardens and silk production, is a significant cultural site in China. The character 苏 in this context highlights the city's importance in Chinese history and culture.
Word Family of 苏
Words Containing This Character20
苏sūplace name蘇
苏联Soviet Union, 1922-1991蘇聯
苏格兰Scotland蘇格蘭
江苏Jiangsu province (Kiangsu) in southeast China, abbr. 蘇|苏, capital Nanjing 南京江蘇
苏州Suzhou prefecture level city in Jiangsu蘇州
苏打soda (loanword)蘇打
复苏fùsūanabiosis復蘇
江苏省Jiangsu Province (Kiangsu) in southeast China, abbr. 蘇|苏[Sū], capital Nanjing 南京[Nánjīng]江蘇省
苏珊Susan (name)蘇珊
苏丹Sudan蘇丹
苏醒sūxǐngto come to甦醒
苏菲Sophie (name)蘇菲
苏黎世Zurich, Switzerland蘇黎世
苏维埃Soviet (council)蘇維埃
前苏联former Soviet Union前蘇聯
密苏里Missouri密蘇里
明尼苏达Minnesota, USA明尼蘇達
流苏tassels流蘇
密苏里州Missouri密蘇里州
明尼苏达州Minnesota明尼蘇達州
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 苏 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 苏
Yes, 苏 (sū) and 囉囌 (luōsū) are different. 苏 refers to revival and specific regions, while 囉囌 is often used in a context related to discussing something in a roundabout or convoluted way. The two can sometimes appear together in discussions about language and culture.
Common phrases that include 苏 (sū) are '江苏' (Jiāngsū) for Jiangsu province and '苏州' (Sūzhōu) for Suzhou city. These terms are often used in geographical and cultural contexts in China.
苏 (sū) has several meanings in Chinese. It can refer to the action of reviving or awakening. Additionally, it is an abbreviation for Jiangsu province (江苏) and Suzhou city (苏州).
You can use 苏 (sū) in sentences to describe the concept of revival or awakening, such as in the phrase '他的精神得到了苏醒' (tā de jīngshén dédàole sūxǐng), meaning 'His spirit has been revived.' It can also be used when referring to geographical locations like Jiangsu or Suzhou.
In everyday conversation, 苏 is often used to talk about awakening or reviving something, such as one's spirits or a project.
No, while 苏 can be a surname, it also has meanings related to revival and is used in geographical names.
苏 is pronounced as 'sū' with a high level tone, which is crucial for proper understanding.
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