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March 24, 2026
醜chǒu(chou3)
The character 醜 (chǒu) primarily means 'ugly' or 'shameful', often used to describe physical appearance or behavior that is considered undesirable. It can also refer to a comedian or clown in a more light-hearted context, emphasizing humor derived from silliness or absurdity.
Strokes17Radical酉Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, beauty standards can be strict, making the term 醜 carry significant weight in social interactions. Being labeled as 醜 can impact one's reputation, highlighting the importance of appearance in Chinese society.
Memory Tip
Imagine a clown with a comically distorted face, representing both 'ugly' and 'clown'. The left side of the character (酉) relates to wine, suggesting 'spirits' that might make things look foolish or shameful when intoxicated. This connection helps you remember chǒu's pronunciation and meaning.
Meanings of 醜
chǒu(chou3)
1ugly; shameful; comedian, clown
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 醜
醜Simplified
17Strokes
酉Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 醜
Podcast: 醜
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AI Study Notes for 醜
Quick Contrast
丑 (chǒu, ugly) vs 难看 (nánkàn, unsightly) — use 醜 for a stronger connotation of shamefulness or moral judgment.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a clown with a comically distorted face, representing both 'ugly' and 'clown'. The left side of the character (酉) relates to wine, suggesting 'spirits' that might make things look foolish or shameful when intoxicated. This connection helps you remember chǒu's pronunciation and meaning.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when using 醜, as a mispronunciation can change its meaning completely. It is often seen in informal contexts, especially when joking about someone's looks or behavior. Common collocations include 醜陋 (chǒulòu - ugly) and 醜聞 (chǒuwén - scandal).
HSK Study Tips
Although 醜 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with other adjectives describing appearance at a similar level, such as 美 (měi - beautiful) and 好 (hǎo - good). Focus on using it in context to compare qualities.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, beauty standards can be strict, making the term 醜 carry significant weight in social interactions. Being labeled as 醜 can impact one's reputation, highlighting the importance of appearance in Chinese society.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 醜 (chǒu) with 丑 (chǒu), which is a variant form. Ensure you use the correct character for the context. For example, saying '他很醜' (tā hěn chǒu) is correct, but mixing it with another character can lead to confusion.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 醜
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六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声å—)~80-90% of characters
Explanation
Pictograph of an animal's paw. In simplified Chinese 丑 is also used to mean "ugly", while in traditional Chinese this meaning is written with a separate character 醜.
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Cultural Notes for 醜
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, beauty standards can be strict, making the term 醜 carry significant weight in social interactions. Being labeled as 醜 can impact one's reputation, highlighting the importance of appearance in Chinese society.
Word Family of 醜
Words Containing This Character20
丑chǒuclown
小丑xiǎochǒuclown
丑闻chǒuwénscandal醜聞
丑陋chǒulòuugly醜陋
丑恶chǒu’èugly醜惡
出丑chūchǒushameful出醜
丑八怪ugly person醜八怪
丑事scandal醜事
丑化to defame醜化
家丑family scandal家醜
丑态shameful performance醜態
辛丑thirty-eighth year H2 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1961 or 2021
丑话ugly talk醜話
丑角clown
己丑twenty-sixth year F2 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 2009 or 2069
乙丑second year B2 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1985 or 2045
丑剧farce醜劇
丁丑fourteenth year D2 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1997 or 2057
癸丑fiftieth year J2 of the 60 year cycle, e.g. 1973 or 2033
丑行scandal醜行
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 丑 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 醜
Yes, 醜 can also describe shameful behavior or character traits, not just physical appearance.
Typically, yes; however, in the context of comedy, it can be used more playfully.
Make sure to use the third tone, chǒu, which has a downward then upward intonation.
