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March 24, 2026
祝zhù(Zhu4)
The character 祝 (zhù) means 'to wish' or 'to express good wishes.' It is commonly used in contexts such as wishing someone well on their birthday, during holidays, or at significant life events. Additionally, it can also refer to praying or offering blessings, particularly in more formal or traditional settings.
Strokes9Radical礻Frequency#754DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, it is customary to express good wishes during festivals, weddings, and other important occasions. The character 祝 is often seen in red banners or cards, symbolizing good fortune and happiness.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wizard (the old meaning of 祝) casting a spell to grant wishes. The character has the '言' (speech) radical on the left, representing communication, which connects to the idea of expressing wishes. Visualize a wizard saying 'zhù' as he waves his wand to create good fortune.
Meanings of 祝
zhù(Zhu4)
1to wish
2to express good wishes
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 祝
祝Simplified
9Strokes
礻Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#754Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2
Podcast: 祝
Podcast: 祝
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AI Study Notes for 祝
Quick Contrast
祝 (zhù) vs 祈 (qí) — use 祝 when expressing good wishes or congratulations, while 祈 is more appropriate for praying or asking for blessings.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a wizard (the old meaning of 祝) casting a spell to grant wishes. The character has the '言' (speech) radical on the left, representing communication, which connects to the idea of expressing wishes. Visualize a wizard saying 'zhù' as he waves his wand to create good fortune.
Usage Notes
Be careful to use 祝 in appropriate contexts, such as during celebrations or ceremonies. Common collocations include 祝你生日快乐 (zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè - 'wish you a happy birthday') and 祝福 (zhùfú - 'blessing'). Note that the tone of zhù is crucial; it must be pronounced with the fourth tone.
HSK Study Tips
While 祝 is not in the HSK levels, it is useful for HSK 2 and 3 students when discussing wishes and celebrations. Focus on memorizing phrases containing 祝 to enhance conversational skills related to greetings and well-wishing.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, it is customary to express good wishes during festivals, weddings, and other important occasions. The character 祝 is often seen in red banners or cards, symbolizing good fortune and happiness.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 祝 with 住 (zhù - to live) due to similar pronunciation. Ensure you remember that 祝 relates to wishing, while 住 pertains to residing or living.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 祝
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Grammar Patterns of 祝
祝 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Sing up , fellows, this is supposed to be a celebration, not a funeral!
10
莉娜身体很好，还让我转达她对你的爱和祝福。
lì nà shēn tǐ hěn hǎo， ， huán ràng wǒ zhuǎn dá tā duì nǐ de ài hé zhù。
Lina is fine and sends you her love and best wishes.
Cultural Notes for 祝
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, it's common to use the word 祝 (Zhù) during celebrations, like birthdays and weddings, to convey good wishes. For example, people often say '祝你生日快乐' (Wishing you a happy birthday) or '祝你幸福' (Wishing you happiness).
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, it is customary to express good wishes during festivals, weddings, and other important occasions. The character 祝 is often seen in red banners or cards, symbolizing good fortune and happiness.
📜Proverb
There is a saying, '祝福如春风' which means 'Wishes are like the spring breeze,' emphasizing how good wishes can bring warmth and joy.
Word Family of 祝
Words Containing This Character17
祝zhùto wish
庆祝qìngzhùto celebrate慶祝
祝福zhùfúblessings
祝贺zhùhèto congratulate祝賀
祝愿zhùyuànto wish祝願
预祝to congratulate beforehand預祝
祝酒to toast
恭祝to congratulate respectfully
庆祝会celebration慶祝會
祝寿to offer birthday congratulations (to an elderly person)祝壽
梁祝The Butterfly Lovers, Chinese folktale
祝好wish you all the best! (when signing off on a correspondence)
祝融God of Fire
敬祝your humble servant
祝祷to pray祝禱
庙祝acolyte in charge of incense in a temple廟祝
天祝县Tianzhu Tibetan autonomous county in Wuwei 武威[Wǔwēi], Gansu天祝縣
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 祝 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 祝
Common phrases with 祝 (zhù) include '祝福' (zhùfú), meaning 'blessing', and '祝贺' (zhùhè), meaning 'congratulations'. These expressions are often used in social situations to convey goodwill and positive sentiments.
Yes, 祝 (zhù) is often used during Chinese New Year and weddings to offer blessings and good wishes. It reflects the cultural importance of expressing hopes for happiness and prosperity in various life events.
祝 (zhù) means 'to express good wishes' or 'to wish'. It is commonly used in greetings and blessings, such as during festivals or special occasions. The character can also refer to the act of praying or conveying good intentions towards others.
You can use 祝 (zhù) in sentences to convey good wishes, for example, '祝你生日快乐' (zhù nǐ shēngrì kuàilè), which means 'I wish you a happy birthday'. It's often followed by the recipient and the occasion or desire you wish to express.
You can use 祝 in phrases like 祝你成功 (zhù nǐ chénggōng - 'wish you success') or 祝福你 (zhùfú nǐ - 'bless you').
Yes, 祝 is primarily used to express positive wishes and blessings.
Absolutely! 祝 is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts.
