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豎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
豎shùperpendicular, vertical; to erectx, 15 strokes, radical 豆
shù(shu4) T4
  1. 1perpendicular, vertical; to erect
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March 24, 2026

豎shù(shu4)

The character 豎 (shù) means 'perpendicular' or 'vertical,' and is commonly used to describe something that stands upright. It can also refer to the action of erecting or setting something up, such as a pole or structure. In mathematical contexts, it can describe vertical lines or axes.

Strokes15Radical豆
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese architecture, vertical structures symbolize stability and strength, reflecting the cultural value placed on harmony and balance in design. The concept of verticality is also important in Feng Shui, where upright positions are believed to channel positive energy.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tall tree (the character 豕 resembles a tree trunk) that stands upright (shù means vertical). Picture the tree growing straight up towards the sky, emphasizing the concept of being erect and perpendicular.

Meanings of 豎

shù(shu4)
1perpendicular, vertical; to erect
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 豎

豎Simplified
15Strokes
豆Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 豎

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Podcast: 豎

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AI Study Notes for 豎

Quick Contrast

立 (lì) - use 立 when emphasizing the act of standing or being upright, while 豎 focuses more on the orientation or positioning.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 豎 (shù) with 竖 (shù), which is a variant used more in modern contexts. This character is more formal and is often used in written Chinese, especially in technical or academic writing.

HSK Study Tips

Although 豎 (shù) is not included in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it's useful for learners focusing on architecture or mathematics vocabulary. Students should also familiarize themselves with related terms like 立 (lì), which also means 'to stand' or 'to set up.'

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 豎 (shù) with 竖 (shù); while both refer to verticality, the contexts in which they are used can differ. For example, saying '他豎起了旗' is incorrect if referring to a modern flag; '他竖起了旗' is the correct form.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 豎

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Etymology of 豎

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

stern

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 豎

  1. 1The meaning half臤 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half豆 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaystern
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 豎? 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 豎?

Decomposition of 豎

IDS Structure⿱臤豆
豎Full Character
=
臤qian1
top
豆dou4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 豎?

How to say perpendicular, vertical; to erect in Chinese

“perpendicular, vertical; to erect” in Chinese is豎shù

The character 豎 (shù) means 'perpendicular' or 'vertical,' and is commonly used to describe something that stands upright. It can also refer to the action of erecting or setting something up, such as a pole or structure. In mathematical contexts, it can describe vertical lines or axes.

When to use 豎

Be careful not to confuse 豎 (shù) with 竖 (shù), which is a variant used more in modern contexts. This character is more formal and is often used in written Chinese, especially in technical or academic writing.

豎 or something close to it

立 (lì) - use 立 when emphasizing the act of standing or being upright, while 豎 focuses more on the orientation or positioning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 豎 (shù) with 竖 (shù); while both refer to verticality, the contexts in which they are used can differ. For example, saying '他豎起了旗' is incorrect if referring to a modern flag; '他竖起了旗' is the correct form.

Write 豎

豎

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

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Word Family of 豎

Words Containing This Character12
竖shùto erect豎
竖起to erect (a tent etc)豎起
竖琴harp豎琴
竖立to erect豎立
横竖anyway橫豎
横七竖八héngqīshùbāin disorder橫七豎八
竖笛recorder豎笛
横挑鼻子竖挑眼to pick on sth incessantly (idiom)橫挑鼻子豎挑眼
横眉竖眼to glare橫眉豎眼
横躺竖卧to lie down all over the place橫躺豎臥
横三竖四in disorder橫三豎四
横说竖说to repeat橫說豎說
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 竖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 豎

You can say '這根柱子豎得很直' (This pillar is erected very straight).

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