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麈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
麈zhǔa species of deerg, 16 strokes, radical 鹿
麈zhǔleader of herdunknown, 16 strokes, radical 鹿
麈zhǔstagunknown, 16 strokes, radical 鹿
zhǔ(zhu3)zhu T3
  1. 1a species of deer
  2. 2leader of herd
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March 24, 2026

麈zhǔ(zhu3)

The character 麈 (zhǔ) refers to a specific type of deer, often associated with being a leader of the herd. It embodies the idea of strength and guidance within a group, typically represented by the stag. This term is less commonly used in everyday conversations but may appear in literary contexts or discussions about nature and wildlife.

Strokes16Radical鹿
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, deer symbolize prosperity and longevity. The concept of a leader among animals also ties into various philosophical ideas about leadership and harmony in nature.

Memory tip

Imagine a majestic stag (the leader of the deer herd) standing proudly in the forest. The character 麈 looks like a stag with its antlers represented by the top part of the character, and the 'zhǔ' pronunciation can be remembered by thinking of 'zoo' where you might see such a deer leading its group.

Meanings of 麈

zhǔ(zhu3)
1a species of deer
2leader of herd
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 麈

麈Simplified
16Strokes
鹿Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 麈

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Podcast: 麈

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AI study notes for 麈

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the pronunciation; the third tone can be easily mispronounced. This word is more formal and may not be suitable for casual conversations. It often appears in written texts related to wildlife or poetry, so be mindful of the context in which you use it.

HSK Study Tips

While 麈 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your knowledge of animals in Chinese. Focus on related words like 鹿 (lù, deer) to build your vocabulary around wildlife, which can help with comprehension in more advanced texts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 麈 with similar-sounding characters. For example, they might mistakenly write it as 猪 (zhū, pig). Remember that 麈 refers specifically to a type of deer, while 猪 is about pigs.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 麈

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Etymology of 麈

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

deer

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

Origin

麈 = 鹿 + 主. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 麈

IDS Structure⿸鹿主
麈Full character
=
鹿lu4
enclosing
主zhu3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 麈?

How to say a species of deer in Chinese

“a species of deer” in Chinese is麈zhǔ

The character 麈 (zhǔ) refers to a specific type of deer, often associated with being a leader of the herd. It embodies the idea of strength and guidance within a group, typically represented by the stag. This term is less commonly used in everyday conversations but may appear in literary contexts or discussions about nature and wildlife.

When to use 麈

Be cautious with the pronunciation; the third tone can be easily mispronounced. This word is more formal and may not be suitable for casual conversations. It often appears in written texts related to wildlife or poetry, so be mindful of the context in which you use it.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 麈 with similar-sounding characters. For example, they might mistakenly write it as 猪 (zhū, pig). Remember that 麈 refers specifically to a type of deer, while 猪 is about pigs.

Write 麈

麈

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

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Word Family of 麈

Words containing this character1
麈zhǔstag

Frequently asked questions about 麈

No, 麈 is more often found in literary or poetic contexts rather than everyday speech.

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