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铢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
铢zhūa unit of weight, about 1 gramq, 11 strokes, radical 钅, rank #76512, Very Hard
铢zhūtwenty-fourth part of a tael (2 or 3 grams)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 钅, rank #76512, Very Hard
zhū(zhu1) T1
  1. 1a unit of weight, about 1 gram
  2. 2twenty-fourth part of a tael (2 or 3 grams)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

铢(銖)zhū(zhu1)

铢 (zhū) is a unit of weight in the Chinese measurement system, approximately equivalent to 1 gram. It is historically used to denote a twenty-fourth part of a tael, which is a larger unit of mass. This character is often encountered in contexts related to commerce and traditional Chinese medicine, where precise weight measurements are important.

Strokes11Radical钅Frequency#76512DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The concept of weight and measurement, including 铢, is integral to Chinese medicine and the culinary arts, where precise quantities are crucial for recipes and herbal prescriptions. This reflects the historical importance of trade and commerce in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Think of 铢 (zhū) as a 'jewel' because it sounds like 'zhu' and is a small, precious weight. The character has the metal radical '金' (jīn), indicating it relates to valuable items, much like how jewelry is weighed in grams.

Meanings of 铢

zhū(zhu1)
1a unit of weight, about 1 gram
2twenty-fourth part of a tael (2 or 3 grams)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 铢

铢Simplified
銖Traditional
11Strokes
钅Radical
量词liàngcímeasure word (mw.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 铢

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Podcast: 铢

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AI Study Notes for 铢

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 铢 (zhū) with similar weight measurements like 斤 (jīn, 500 grams) or 两 (liǎng, about 50 grams). This term is more formal and is primarily used in specific contexts, such as trade or historical texts. It is less common in everyday conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While 铢 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your grasp of traditional measurement terms and their usage in relevant contexts. Focus on related terms like 斤 (jīn) and 两 (liǎng) to build a comprehensive understanding of weight in Chinese.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 铢 (zhū) with the more common 斤 (jīn) or 两 (liǎng). For example, saying '我买了三铢米' (I bought three zhū of rice) is incorrect; it should be '我买了三斤米' (I bought three jīn of rice).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 铢

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Etymology of 铢

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 朱 represents the sound. Simplified form of 銖.

Memory Hint

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 铢

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 朱 represents the sound. Simplified form of 銖.

  1. 1The meaning half钅 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half朱 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 铢? 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 铢?

Decomposition of 铢

IDS Structure⿰钅朱
铢Full Character
=
钅jin1
left
朱Zhu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 铢?

How to say a unit of weight, about 1 gram in Chinese

“a unit of weight, about 1 gram” in Chinese is铢zhū

铢 (zhū) is a unit of weight in the Chinese measurement system, approximately equivalent to 1 gram. It is historically used to denote a twenty-fourth part of a tael, which is a larger unit of mass. This character is often encountered in contexts related to commerce and traditional Chinese medicine, where precise weight measurements are important.

When to use 铢

Be careful not to confuse 铢 (zhū) with similar weight measurements like 斤 (jīn, 500 grams) or 两 (liǎng, about 50 grams). This term is more formal and is primarily used in specific contexts, such as trade or historical texts. It is less common in everyday conversation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 铢 (zhū) with the more common 斤 (jīn) or 两 (liǎng). For example, saying '我买了三铢米' (I bought three zhū of rice) is incorrect; it should be '我买了三斤米' (I bought three jīn of rice).

Write 铢

铢

Practice writing 铢 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 铢

Words Containing This Character3
铢zhūtwenty-fourth part of a tael (2 or 3 grams)銖
泰铢Thai baht泰銖
锱铢必较to haggle over every cent (idiom)錙銖必較
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 铢 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 铢

It is not commonly used in daily conversations but may appear in historical texts or contexts related to traditional commerce.

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