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苣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
苣jùa kind of lettucex, 7 strokes, radical 艹
苣jùlettuce, see 萵苣|莴苣unknown, 7 strokes, radical 艹
jù(ju4)ju T4
  1. 1a kind of lettuce
  2. 2lettuce, see 萵苣|莴苣
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March 24, 2026

苣jù(ju4)

苣 (jù) refers to a type of lettuce commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It is often found in salads and stir-fried dishes, contributing a crisp texture and mild flavor. The character is less commonly used on its own, but it is recognized in compound words related to various types of lettuce.

Strokes7Radical艹
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, various types of lettuce, including 苣, are integral to dishes served during the spring and summer months, symbolizing freshness and vitality. Eating fresh vegetables is a common practice in Chinese dining culture, often associated with health.

Memory tip

Think of 苣 (jù) as a 'juicy' green lettuce. The character has the radical for 'plant' (艹) at the top, reminding you that it is a vegetable. Imagine a juicy lettuce leaf that you can almost taste, which helps you remember both its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 苣

jù(ju4)
1a kind of lettuce
2lettuce, see 萵苣|莴苣
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 苣

苣Simplified
7Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 苣

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Podcast: 苣

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AI study notes for 苣

Usage Notes

苣 is typically used in more specific culinary contexts, so it may not be as familiar to learners outside of food-related discussions. Be cautious not to confuse it with other types of lettuce like 萵苣 (wō jù) or 莴苣 (wō jù), which are more commonly referred to in general conversations about lettuce. The tone is critical; ensure you pronounce it with a falling tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 苣 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, recognizing it can enhance your understanding of food-related vocabulary. Focus on how it relates to other vegetable names and practice using it in context to solidify your recall.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 苣 with its more common counterparts, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我喜欢苣' when referring to lettuce in general is vague; it's better to specify with '我喜欢吃莴苣' for clarity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 苣

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Etymology of 苣

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

Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 巨 represents the sound.

Memory hint

plant

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

Origin

苣 = 艹 + 巨. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 苣

IDS Structure⿱艹巨
苣Full character
=
艹cao3
top
巨ju4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 苣?

How to say a kind of lettuce in Chinese

“a kind of lettuce” in Chinese is苣jù

苣 (jù) refers to a type of lettuce commonly used in Chinese cuisine. It is often found in salads and stir-fried dishes, contributing a crisp texture and mild flavor. The character is less commonly used on its own, but it is recognized in compound words related to various types of lettuce.

When to use 苣

苣 is typically used in more specific culinary contexts, so it may not be as familiar to learners outside of food-related discussions. Be cautious not to confuse it with other types of lettuce like 萵苣 (wō jù) or 莴苣 (wō jù), which are more commonly referred to in general conversations about lettuce. The tone is critical; ensure you pronounce it with a falling tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 苣 with its more common counterparts, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我喜欢苣' when referring to lettuce in general is vague; it's better to specify with '我喜欢吃莴苣' for clarity.

Write 苣

苣

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

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Grammar patterns of 苣

苣 carries 2 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 3

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

买些莴____和西红柿,我好做色拉.

Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.

Example sentences for 苣 (2)

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1
买些莴苣和西红柿,我好做色拉.

mǎi xiē wō jù hé xīhóngshì, wǒ hǎo zuò sè lā.

Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.
2
把莴苣洗一下拍干。

bǎ wō jù xǐ yíxià pāi gān。

Wash the lettuce and pat it dry.

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Word Family of 苣

Words containing this character4
莴苣lettuce (Lactuca sativa)萵苣
苣jùlettuce, see 萵苣|莴苣
菊苣chicory
苦苣endive
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 苣

What does 莴苣 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 苣

苣 specifically refers to a certain kind of lettuce, whereas other terms like 萵苣 and 莴苣 refer to different varieties.

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