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岛屿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
岛屿dǎoyǔislandHSK 7, n, 13 strokes, rank #13607, Very Hard
dǎoyǔ(dao3yu3)dao yu T3
  1. 1island
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March 24, 2026

岛屿(島嶼)dǎoyǔ(dao3yu3)

The term 岛屿 (dǎo yǔ) refers to a landmass that is completely surrounded by water, commonly known as an island. It can be used in both geographical contexts and metaphorically to describe isolation or separation. This term is often used in discussions about geography, travel, and ecology.

Strokes13Frequency#13607DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

Islands play a significant role in Chinese culture, especially in coastal regions where islands like Taiwan (台灣) are central to national identity and folklore. The concept of islands also appears frequently in Chinese poetry and literature, symbolizing beauty and solitude.

Memory tip

Imagine a small, vibrant island (岛) surrounded by a sea of blue (屿). The character 岛 (dǎo) has the radical for earth (土), suggesting land, while 屿 (yǔ) can be visualized as a 'yu' (you) on the island enjoying the serenity. Together, they form a picturesque image of islands in the ocean.

Meanings of 岛屿

dǎoyǔ(dao3yu3)
1island
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 岛屿

岛屿Simplified
島嶼Traditional
13Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#13607Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 岛屿

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Podcast: 岛屿

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AI study notes for 岛屿

Quick Contrast

岛 (dǎo) vs 岛屿 (dǎoyǔ): Use 岛屿 when referring to an island in a more formal or specific context, while 岛 is a more general term that can refer to any island without the nuance of being a distinct landmass.

Usage Notes

When using 岛屿, be mindful of the context; it is often used in formal discussions about geography or in literary contexts. A common mistake is to confuse 岛屿 with other terms for land, such as 陆地 (lùdì, land), which is broader and does not imply being surrounded by water. Make sure to use the correct tone to avoid confusion.

HSK Study Tips

As a HSK 5 word, 岛屿 connects well with other geographical terms like 海洋 (hǎiyáng, ocean) and 大陆 (dàlù, continent). Students should focus on pronunciation and the contexts in which these terms combine to enhance their vocabulary related to geography.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 岛屿 with the singular form 岛 (dǎo) when referring to multiple islands. For instance, saying '我去岛' (wǒ qù dǎo) instead of '我去岛屿' (wǒ qù dǎo yǔ) is incorrect when discussing more than one island.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 岛屿

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Component characters

岛dǎoisland
HSK 67 strokes山
View full entry
屿yǔislet
6 strokes山
View full entry

How to say island in Chinese

“island” in Chinese is岛屿dǎoyǔ

The term 岛屿 (dǎo yǔ) refers to a landmass that is completely surrounded by water, commonly known as an island. It can be used in both geographical contexts and metaphorically to describe isolation or separation. This term is often used in discussions about geography, travel, and ecology.

When to use 岛屿

When using 岛屿, be mindful of the context; it is often used in formal discussions about geography or in literary contexts. A common mistake is to confuse 岛屿 with other terms for land, such as 陆地 (lùdì, land), which is broader and does not imply being surrounded by water. Make sure to use the correct tone to avoid confusion.

岛屿 or something close to it

岛 (dǎo) vs 岛屿 (dǎoyǔ): Use 岛屿 when referring to an island in a more formal or specific context, while 岛 is a more general term that can refer to any island without the nuance of being a distinct landmass.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 岛屿 with the singular form 岛 (dǎo) when referring to multiple islands. For instance, saying '我去岛' (wǒ qù dǎo) instead of '我去岛屿' (wǒ qù dǎo yǔ) is incorrect when discussing more than one island.

Write 岛屿

岛
屿

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

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Grammar patterns of 岛屿

岛屿 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他把找到那座____当成自己的人生目标。

He made it his object in life to find the island.

Example sentences for 岛屿 (10)

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1
他把找到那座岛屿当成自己的人生目标。

tā bǎ zhǎodào nà zuò dǎoyǔ dàngchéng zìjǐ de rénshēng mùbiāo。

He made it his object in life to find the island.
2
沿着中国的东海岸飞行, 你可以看到许多岛屿.

yánzhe zhōngguó de dōng hǎi’àn fēixíng, nǐ kěyǐ kàndào xǔduō dǎoyǔ.

Flying along the east coast of China, you can see many islands.
3
他的《奥克尼挂毯》一书仍是关于这些岛屿的最权威著作。

tā de《 ào kè ní guà tǎn》 yī shū réng shì guānyú zhèxiē dǎoyǔ de zuì quánwēi zhùzuò。

His "An Orkney Tapestry" is still the definitive book on the islands.
4
仅菲律宾群岛就包括大小岛屿七千多个.

jǐn fēi Lǜ bīn qún dǎo jiù bāokuò dàxiǎo dǎoyǔ qī qiān duō gè.

In the Philippines alone there are more than 7,000 islands and islets.
5
去年11月,军队被派往这些岛屿以恢复秩序。

qùnián11 yuè, jūnduì bèi pài wǎng zhèxiē dǎoyǔ yǐ huīfù zhìxù。

Troops were sent to the islands to restore order last November.
6
大多数岛屿基本上都是一片荒凉、渺无人烟。

dàduōshù dǎoyǔ jīběnshàng dōushì yī piàn huāngliáng、 miǎo wú rén yān。

Many of the islands are mainly wild and underpopulated.
7
这些岛屿中就数泽西岛最能吸引游客。

zhèxiē dǎoyǔ zhōng jiù shù zé xī dǎo zuì néng xīyǐn yóukè。

Jersey is the most touristy of the islands.
8
在他的幻梦中,那岛屿似乎成了可望而不可及的阿卡狄亚了.

zài tā de huàn mèng zhōng, nà dǎoyǔ sìhū chéng le kě wàng ér bù kě jí de Ā kǎ dí yà le.

In his fancy the Island seemed an unattainable Arcadia.
9
这些岛屿出口糖和水果。

zhèxiē dǎoyǔ chūkǒu táng hé shuǐguǒ。

The islands export sugar and fruit.
10
迪西岛是当今世上仅存的几个不染尘嚣的岛屿之一,距澳大利亚近5,000公里。

dí xī dǎo shì dāngjīn shì shàng jǐn cún de jǐ gè bù rǎn chén xiāo de dǎoyǔ zhīyī, jù ào dà lì yà jìn5,000 gōnglǐ。

Ducie is one of the world's last untouched islands, nearly 5,000km from Australia.

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Frequently asked questions about 岛屿

The correct pronunciation is dǎo yǔ, with the third tone for 岛 and the third tone for 屿.

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