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逐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
逐zhúto pursued, 10 strokes, radical 辶, rank #15285, Very Hard
逐zhúto chased, 10 strokes, radical 辶, rank #15285, Very Hard
逐zhúindividuallyd, 10 strokes, radical 辶, rank #15285, Very Hard
逐zhúone by oned, 10 strokes, radical 辶, rank #15285, Very Hard
逐zhúto pursue; to expel; step by stepd, 10 strokes, radical 辶, rank #15285, Very Hard
zhú(zhu2)zhu T2
  1. 1to pursue
  2. 2to chase
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March 24, 2026

逐zhú(zhu2)

The character 逐 (zhú) primarily means 'to pursue' or 'to chase.' It is often used in contexts where something is being followed or sought after, such as in competitive scenarios or when describing efforts to reach a goal. Additionally, it can imply a step-by-step approach to achieving something.

Strokes10Radical辶Frequency#15285DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of pursuing goals step by step is often emphasized in traditional education and personal development, reflecting a mindset of perseverance and gradual progress.

Memory tip

Imagine a person (the character 逐) chasing after a rabbit (the radical '走' which indicates movement) in a field. The '之' component at the end can be visualized as the rabbit's tail, reminding you that you are pursuing something with each step.

Meanings of 逐

zhú(zhu2)
1to pursue
2to chase
Exercise 1 of 3

By ear

Play it, then pick what 逐 means.

About 逐

逐Simplified
10Strokes
辶Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#15285Frequency Rank

Podcast: 逐

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Podcast: 逐

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AI study notes for 逐

Quick Contrast

追 (zhuī) - use 逐 (zhú) when emphasizing a methodical or step-by-step pursuit, while 追 (zhuī) focuses more on the act of chasing itself.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 逐 with similar-sounding characters like '住' (zhù), which means 'to live' or 'to stay.' 逐 is more commonly used in formal contexts, particularly in literature or discussions about goals and strategies. Common collocations include 逐步 (zhúbù - step by step) and 逐渐 (zhújiàn - gradually).

HSK Study Tips

While 逐 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects well with HSK Level 3 words related to movement and action. Focus on its usage in phrases and idiomatic expressions to enhance your understanding of contextual applications.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 逐 in informal contexts where simpler words would suffice. For instance, saying '我逐他' (Wǒ zhú tā - I pursue him) sounds awkward; the more common phrase would be '我追他' (Wǒ zhuī tā - I chase him).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 逐

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Etymology of 逐

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

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 豕 represents the sound.

Memory hint

walk

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

Origin

逐 = 辶 + 豕. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 逐

IDS Structure⿺辶豕
逐Full character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
豕shi3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 逐?

How to say to pursue in Chinese

“to pursue” in Chinese is逐zhú

The character 逐 (zhú) primarily means 'to pursue' or 'to chase.' It is often used in contexts where something is being followed or sought after, such as in competitive scenarios or when describing efforts to reach a goal. Additionally, it can imply a step-by-step approach to achieving something.

When to use 逐

Be careful not to confuse 逐 with similar-sounding characters like '住' (zhù), which means 'to live' or 'to stay.' 逐 is more commonly used in formal contexts, particularly in literature or discussions about goals and strategies. Common collocations include 逐步 (zhúbù - step by step) and 逐渐 (zhújiàn - gradually).

逐 or something close to it

追 (zhuī) - use 逐 (zhú) when emphasizing a methodical or step-by-step pursuit, while 追 (zhuī) focuses more on the act of chasing itself.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 逐 in informal contexts where simpler words would suffice. For instance, saying '我逐他' (Wǒ zhú tā - I pursue him) sounds awkward; the more common phrase would be '我追他' (Wǒ zhuī tā - I chase him).

Write 逐

逐

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

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Grammar patterns of 逐

逐 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

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

如果你一直在服用这些药,停药时一定要____渐停。

If you take these drugs continuously, withdrawal must be tapered.

Common confusions with 逐

逐vs著
zhù

Both characters have similar pronunciation but different meanings.

逐vs追
zhuī

Similar meaning but '逐' implies a more gradual or step-by-step process.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “to pursue”?

or

Example sentences for 逐 (10)

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1
如果你一直在服用这些药,停药时一定要逐渐停。

rúguǒ nǐ yìzhí zài fúyòng zhèxiē yào, tíng yào shí yídìng yào zhújiàn tíng。

If you take these drugs continuously, withdrawal must be tapered.
2
医生们列举了大量病人被逐出医院的实例。

yīshēng men lièjǔ le dàliàng bìngrén bèi zhú chū yīyuàn de shí lì。

The doctors gave numerous examples of patients being expelled from hospital.
3
莫罗在个人五公里追逐赛中获得金牌。

mò luō zài gèrén wǔ gōnglǐ zhuīzhú sài zhōng huòdé jīnpái。

Moreau took gold in the five-kilometre individual pursuit competition.
4
这些药的效果起初非常好,但后来逐渐失效.

zhèxiē yào de xiàoguǒ qǐchū fēicháng hǎo, dàn hòulái zhújiàn shīxiào.

The drugs work well at first but gradually lose their effectiveness.
5
内政部通常会迅速地将不受欢迎人士驱逐出境。

nèi zhèng bù tōngcháng huì xùnsù dì jiāng bù shòu huānyíng rénshì qūzhú chūjìng。

The Home Office is usually quick to deport undesirables.
6
他们说,当前的征兵体系应当逐步废除。

tāmen shuō, dāngqián de zhēng bīng tǐxì yīngdāng zhúbù fèichú。

They said the present system of military conscription should be phased out.
7
鲁德尼茨基将军是众多被放逐的波兰人精神上的引路人。

Lǔ dé ní cí jī jiāngjūn shì zhòngduō bèi fàng zhú de Bō lán rén jīngshen shàng de yǐn lùrén。

General Rudnicki was a moral beacon for many exiled Poles.
8
浅滩上的潮水逐渐退去。

jiān tān shàng de cháoshuǐ zhújiàn tuì qù。

The tidal stream or current gradually decreases in the shallows.
9
戴维和盖伊一起把协议逐条看了一遍.

dài wéi hé gài yī yìqǐ bǎ xiéyì zhú tiáo kàn le yī biàn.

David ran through the agreement with Guy, point by point.
10
在心理治疗中,她开始逐渐放下对麦克的痴迷。

zài xīnlǐ zhìliáo zhōng, tā kāishǐ zhújiàn fàngxià duì mài kè de chīmí。

In therapy, she began to let go of her obsession with Mike.

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Word Family of 逐

Compounds1
鱁zhú
Words containing this character20
逐渐zhújiàngradually逐漸
逐步zhúbùprogressively
驱逐qūzhúto expel驅逐
追逐zhuīzhúto chase
角逐juézhúto tussle
放逐fàngzhúto banish
逐zhúto pursue
逐年zhúniányear after year
逐出zhúchūto expel
逐一zhúyīone by one
逐个zhúgèone by one逐個
驱逐舰qūzhújiàndestroyer (warship)驅逐艦
随波逐流suíbōzhúliúto drift with the waves and go with the flow (idiom); to follow the crowd blindly隨波逐流
竞逐jìngzhúcompetition競逐
逐月zhúyuèmonthly
逐日zhúrìdaily
逐客令zhúkèlìng(fig.) notice to leave
逐字逐句zhúzìzhújùliteral
笑逐颜开xiàozhúyánkāiall smiles笑逐顏開
追逐赛zhuīzhúsàichase追逐賽
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 逐

What does 逐渐 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 逐

Common phrases include 逐步 (step by step) and 逐渐 (gradually), both of which emphasize a progressive approach.

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