unknown, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #23122, Very Hard
赘
zhuì
cumbersome
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #23122, Very Hard
赘
zhuì
refers to a son-in-law living with wife's family
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 贝, rank #23122, Very Hard
zhuì(zhui4) T4
1unnecessary, superfluous
2redundant
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March 24, 2026
赘(贅)zhuì(zhui4)
The character 赘 (zhuì) refers to something unnecessary or superfluous, often conveying a sense of redundancy or burden. It can also describe a son-in-law who lives with his wife's family, highlighting a traditional familial dynamic in Chinese culture.
Strokes14Radical贝Frequency#23122DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese families, the concept of a son-in-law living with his wife's family (赘婿) reflects historical family structures and the importance of lineage and support networks.
Memory Tip
Imagine a heavy, unnecessary weight (赘) hanging from your shoulders, making you feel cumbersome. The character resembles a person burdened with superfluous items, making you think of 'zhuì' as something that drags you down.
Meanings of 赘
zhuì(zhui4)
1unnecessary, superfluous
2redundant
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 赘
赘Simplified
贅Traditional
14Strokes
贝Radical
形容词性语素xíngróngcíadjective root (adj.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 赘
Podcast: 赘
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
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AI Study Notes for 赘
Quick Contrast
赘 (zhuì) vs 多余 (duōyú) — use 赘 when referring specifically to something burdensome or redundant in a familial context.
Usage Notes
赘 is often used in formal contexts to describe unnecessary things, but it can also carry a negative connotation when referring to a son-in-law. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; the fourth tone is essential for correct pronunciation.
HSK Study Tips
While 赘 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it shares roots with other characters that discuss familial relationships and the concept of burden. Students should focus on its usage in both everyday conversation and literary contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 赘 with other characters that sound similar, such as '追' (zhuī). Remember that 赘 refers specifically to something unnecessary or superfluous, while 追 pertains to pursuing or chasing something.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 赘
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Phonosemantic compound. 敖 represents the meaning and 贝 represents the sound. Simplified form of 贅.
1The meaning half敖 carries the sense.
2The sound half贝 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayleisure
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 赘? 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 赘?
Decomposition of 赘
IDS Structure⿱敖贝
赘Full Character
=
敖Ao2
top
贝Bei4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 赘?
How to say unnecessary, superfluous in Chinese
“unnecessary, superfluous” in Chinese is赘zhuì
The character 赘 (zhuì) refers to something unnecessary or superfluous, often conveying a sense of redundancy or burden. It can also describe a son-in-law who lives with his wife's family, highlighting a traditional familial dynamic in Chinese culture.
When to use 赘
赘 is often used in formal contexts to describe unnecessary things, but it can also carry a negative connotation when referring to a son-in-law. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding words; the fourth tone is essential for correct pronunciation.
赘 or something close to it
赘 (zhuì) vs 多余 (duōyú) — use 赘 when referring specifically to something burdensome or redundant in a familial context.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 赘 with other characters that sound similar, such as '追' (zhuī). Remember that 赘 refers specifically to something unnecessary or superfluous, while 追 pertains to pursuing or chasing something.
Write 赘
赘
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Practice writing 赘 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 赘
赘 carries 4 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
这家机构把它那复杂累____的名称改得好记一些了。
The organization changed its cumbersome title to something easier to remember.
Example Sentences for 赘 (6)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这家机构把它那复杂累赘的名称改得好记一些了。
zhè jiā jī gòu bǎ tā nà fù zá léi zhuì de míng chēng gǎi dé hǎo jì yī xiē le。
The organization changed its cumbersome title to something easier to remember.
