Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
萸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
萸yúdogwoodx, 11 strokes, radical 艹
萸yúcornelian cherryunknown, 11 strokes, radical 艹
yú(yu2)yu T2
  1. 1dogwood
  2. 2cornelian cherry
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

萸yú(yu2)

The character 萸 (yú) refers to the dogwood or cornelian cherry, a type of fruit-bearing tree known for its ornamental properties and edible fruits. It is often mentioned in traditional Chinese literature and is associated with themes of beauty and resilience in nature.

Strokes11Radical艹
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, plants like the dogwood symbolize beauty and longevity, and they are often featured in poetry and art, particularly in the context of spring.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'yū' (like 'you') standing under a beautiful dogwood tree, enjoying its vibrant flowers. The character 萸 has a 'grass' radical (艹) on top, hinting at its connection to nature, while the bottom part resembles a 'tree', reminding you of where you might find this lovely plant.

Meanings of 萸

yú(yu2)
1dogwood
2cornelian cherry
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 萸 means.

About 萸

萸Simplified
11Strokes
艹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 萸

JasonAmy

Podcast: 萸

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 萸

Usage Notes

The word 萸 is relatively uncommon in everyday conversation but may appear in literary contexts or discussions about botany. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 'yu' (鱼) which means fish. Use 萸 in a formal context when discussing plants or literary references.

HSK Study Tips

Although 萸 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding this character enriches your knowledge of botanical terms. Focus on recognizing the radicals and components to better grasp similar plant-related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 萸 as 'yǔ' (与), which means 'to be with'. The correct pronunciation is 'yú', so practice differentiating these tones to avoid confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 萸

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 萸 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

Jason Explains 萸 to You

Let me explain 萸 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 萸 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 萸?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 萸 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 萸

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

plant

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

Origin

萸 = 艹 + 臾. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 萸

IDS Structure⿱艹臾
萸Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
臾Yu2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 萸?

How to say dogwood in Chinese

“dogwood” in Chinese is萸yú

The character 萸 (yú) refers to the dogwood or cornelian cherry, a type of fruit-bearing tree known for its ornamental properties and edible fruits. It is often mentioned in traditional Chinese literature and is associated with themes of beauty and resilience in nature.

When to use 萸

The word 萸 is relatively uncommon in everyday conversation but may appear in literary contexts or discussions about botany. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words like 'yu' (鱼) which means fish. Use 萸 in a formal context when discussing plants or literary references.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 萸 as 'yǔ' (与), which means 'to be with'. The correct pronunciation is 'yú', so practice differentiating these tones to avoid confusion.

Write 萸

萸

Practice writing 萸 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 萸

萸 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 1

Fill the gap

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

山茱____的蓓蕾, 淡绿清雅,点缀着褐色斑痕.

The dogwood bud, pale green is inlaid with russet markings.

Example Sentences for 萸 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
山茱萸的蓓蕾, 淡绿清雅,点缀着褐色斑痕.

shān zhū yú de bèi lěi, , dàn lǜ qīng, yǎ , diǎn zhuì zháo hè sè.

The dogwood bud, pale green is inlaid with russet markings.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 萸?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.

Word Family of 萸

Words Containing This Character3
茱萸Cornus officinalis (Japanese cornel dogwood, a kind of herb)
萸yúcornelian cherry
山茱萸Cornus officinalis
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 萸

What does 茱萸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 萸

It means dogwood or cornelian cherry, which is a type of tree known for its flowers and fruits.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 萸?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab