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骷 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
skeletonn, 14 strokes, radical 骨, rank #79383, Very Hard
(ku1) T1
  1. 1skeleton
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

(ku1)

The character 骷 (kū) refers to a skeleton, specifically the structure of bones that supports the body of vertebrates. It is often used in contexts relating to anatomy, death, or as a metaphor for something that is empty or lacking substance.

Strokes14RadicalFrequency#79383DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the skeleton is viewed as integral to the body's health, with certain practices, like acupuncture, linking to bone health. The concept of 骷 is also associated with festivals like the Qingming Festival, where families honor ancestors.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'kooky' skeleton dancing at a Halloween party. The character 骷 has the radical 骨 (bone) which hints at its meaning, and the quirky pronunciation 'kū' can remind you of a comical or silly skeleton.

Meanings of 骷

(ku1)
1skeleton
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 骷

Simplified
14Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 骷

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 骷

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'kooky' skeleton dancing at a Halloween party. The character 骷 has the radical 骨 (bone) which hints at its meaning, and the quirky pronunciation 'kū' can remind you of a comical or silly skeleton.

Usage Notes

When using 骷, it's important to remember that it is often found in compound words related to bones or death (e.g., 骷髅, which means 'skull'). This word is relatively informal and may not be suitable for formal contexts discussing anatomy. Be careful with the tone; 'kū' is pronounced with a high-level tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.

HSK Study Tips

Although 骷 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it relates to other HSK words about body parts and anatomy, such as 身体 (shēntǐ, body) and 骨头 (gǔtóu, bone). Students should focus on remembering the radical 骨 and its connection to skeletal terms.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the skeleton is viewed as integral to the body's health, with certain practices, like acupuncture, linking to bone health. The concept of 骷 is also associated with festivals like the Qingming Festival, where families honor ancestors.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 骷 with other bone-related characters, like 骨 (gǔ), which means 'bone'. For example, saying 骷 instead of 骨 when discussing anatomy can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 骷

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Etymology of 骷

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

Phonosemantic compound. 骨 represents the meaning and 古 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

bone

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 骷?

Decomposition of 骷

IDS Structure⿰骨古
Full Character
=
gu3
left
Gu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 骷?

Write 骷

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 骷

骷 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

____髅岛,东南东偏东.

Skeleton Island E . S . E . and by E.

Example Sentences for 骷 (3)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
骷髅岛,东南东偏东.

kū lóu dǎo, , dōng nán dōng piān.

Skeleton Island E . S . E . and by E.
2
最初粗糙地刻在墓碑上的骷髅与 交叉 的大腿骨图形,已为带翅膀的天使所代替.

zuì chū cū cāo dì kè zài mù bēi shàng de kū lóu yǔ jiāo chā de dà tuǐ gǔ, tú xíng , yǐ wéi dài chì bǎng de tiān shǐ.

The skull - and - crossbones crudely carved on the first tombstones was replaced by a winged cherub.
3
他的身子和脸很相配, 瘦得象骷髅.

tā de shēn zǐ hé liǎn hěn xiāng pèi, , shòu dé xiàng kū.

His face matched his body, and was lean, almost cadaverous.
Exercise 1 of 1

Reorder the Sentence

Skeleton Island E . S . E . and by E.

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Cultural Notes for 骷

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, the skeleton is viewed as integral to the body's health, with certain practices, like acupuncture, linking to bone health. The concept of 骷 is also associated with festivals like the Qingming Festival, where families honor ancestors.

Word Family of 骷

Words Containing This Character2
骷髅human skeleton骷髏
skeleton
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 骷髅 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 骷

The pronunciation is 'kū', with a high-level tone. Practice saying it in isolation and within words.