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钜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
钜jùsteel, iron; greatg, 9 strokes, radical 钅, rank #83875, Very Hard
钜jùhard ironunknown, 9 strokes, radical 钅, rank #83875, Very Hard
钜jùhookunknown, 9 strokes, radical 钅, rank #83875, Very Hard
jù(ju4) T4
  1. 1steel, iron; great
  2. 2hard iron
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

钜(鉅)jù(ju4)

The character 钜 (jù) primarily denotes something great or significant, often associated with strength or durability, as seen in its connection to iron and steel. It is less commonly used than its variant 巨 (jù), which also means 'huge' or 'enormous.' In modern contexts, 钜 may appear in literary or formal expressions rather than everyday conversation.

Strokes9Radical钅Frequency#83875DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese literature, 钜 may appear in poems or texts that discuss concepts of greatness, valor, or the strength associated with iron, reflecting the historical importance of iron in Chinese metallurgy and weaponry.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant iron hook (钜) lifting something heavy. The character is made up of the metal radical 钅, suggesting strength and metal, combined with the concept of greatness. Picture this hook being so strong it can lift an enormous weight, emphasizing the 'great' aspect of the character.

Meanings of 钜

jù(ju4)
1steel, iron; great
2hard iron
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 钜

钜Simplified
鉅Traditional
9Strokes
钅Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 钜

JasonAmy

Podcast: 钜

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AI Study Notes for 钜

Quick Contrast

巨 (jù) is often used in everyday contexts to mean 'huge' or 'enormous,' while 钜 (jù) is more formal or literary, emphasizing significance or strength.

Usage Notes

钜 is not commonly used in spoken Mandarin, making it more suitable for formal writing or literature. A common mistake is confusing it with 巨 (jù) in everyday conversation, where 巨 is preferred. Learners should also pay attention to the tone, ensuring to use the fourth tone (jù) correctly.

HSK Study Tips

钜 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, but understanding it can help learners recognize the relationship between characters and their meanings. Students at a beginner level should focus on more commonly used characters like 巨 and explore other related words that convey similar meanings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 钜 with the more frequently used 巨 (jù), mistakenly using 钜 in casual contexts. For example, saying '钜大的房子' instead of the correct '巨大的房子' (huge house) reflects this mix-up.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 钜

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Etymology of 钜

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

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 钜

  1. 1The meaning half钅 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half巨 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymetal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 钜? 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 钜?

Decomposition of 钜

IDS Structure⿰钅巨
钜Full Character
=
钅jin1
left
巨ju4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 钜?

How to say steel, iron; great in Chinese

“steel, iron; great” in Chinese is钜jù

The character 钜 (jù) primarily denotes something great or significant, often associated with strength or durability, as seen in its connection to iron and steel. It is less commonly used than its variant 巨 (jù), which also means 'huge' or 'enormous.' In modern contexts, 钜 may appear in literary or formal expressions rather than everyday conversation.

When to use 钜

钜 is not commonly used in spoken Mandarin, making it more suitable for formal writing or literature. A common mistake is confusing it with 巨 (jù) in everyday conversation, where 巨 is preferred. Learners should also pay attention to the tone, ensuring to use the fourth tone (jù) correctly.

钜 or something close to it

巨 (jù) is often used in everyday contexts to mean 'huge' or 'enormous,' while 钜 (jù) is more formal or literary, emphasizing significance or strength.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 钜 with the more frequently used 巨 (jù), mistakenly using 钜 in casual contexts. For example, saying '钜大的房子' instead of the correct '巨大的房子' (huge house) reflects this mix-up.

Write 钜

钜

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 钜

Words Containing This Character1
钜jùhook鉅
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 钜 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 钜

No, 钜 is rarely used in spoken Mandarin and is more often found in formal writing.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 钜?

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.