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嘱咐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嘱咐zhǔfùto tellHSK 7, v, 23 strokes, rank #19714, Very Hard
嘱咐zhǔfùto exhortHSK 7, v, 23 strokes, rank #19714, Very Hard
嘱咐zhǔfùinjunctionHSK 7, v, 23 strokes, rank #19714, Very Hard
zhǔfù(zhu3fu4)zhu fu T3
  1. 1to tell
  2. 2to exhort
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March 24, 2026

嘱咐(囑咐)zhǔfù(zhu3fu4)

嘱咐 (zhǔfù) means to instruct or exhort someone, often with a sense of urgency or care. It is commonly used when giving important advice, warnings, or reminders to ensure that someone understands the significance of what is being communicated.

Strokes23Frequency#19714DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, elders often feel a duty to 嘱咐 younger generations, reflecting the value placed on wisdom and the transmission of knowledge. This practice is particularly evident during family gatherings or significant life events.

Memory Tip

The character 嘱 combines the mouth radical (口) with the phonetic component 直 (zhí) representing 'to speak'. Imagine a wise elder using their mouth to earnestly speak 'directly' to someone—this creates a strong connection between the act of speaking and the importance of the message.

Meanings of 嘱咐

zhǔfù(zhu3fu4)
1to tell
2to exhort
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 嘱咐

嘱咐Simplified
囑咐Traditional
23Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#19714Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 嘱咐

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Podcast: 嘱咐

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AI Study Notes for 嘱咐

Quick Contrast

嘱托 (zhǔtuō) - use 嘱咐 when emphasizing the urgency or care in the instruction, while 嘱托 is more about entrusting someone with a task.

Usage Notes

嘱咐 is often used in formal contexts, such as family discussions or workplace instructions. A common mistake is to confuse it with 告诉 (gàosù), which is more casual. Remember that 嘱咐 carries a heavier weight of responsibility and care.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 嘱咐 connects with other vocabulary about communication and advice, such as 提醒 (tíxǐng) meaning 'to remind'. Focus on practicing sentences where you instruct or give advice to reinforce its usage.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 嘱咐 in informal contexts where a simple 告诉 would suffice. For example, saying '我嘱咐你这个' instead of '我告诉你这个' can sound overly serious.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嘱咐

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Component Characters

嘱zhǔto enjoin
15 strokes口
View full entry
咐fùto order
8 strokes口
View full entry

How to say to tell in Chinese

“to tell” in Chinese is嘱咐zhǔfù

嘱咐 (zhǔfù) means to instruct or exhort someone, often with a sense of urgency or care. It is commonly used when giving important advice, warnings, or reminders to ensure that someone understands the significance of what is being communicated.

When to use 嘱咐

嘱咐 is often used in formal contexts, such as family discussions or workplace instructions. A common mistake is to confuse it with 告诉 (gàosù), which is more casual. Remember that 嘱咐 carries a heavier weight of responsibility and care.

嘱咐 or something close to it

嘱托 (zhǔtuō) - use 嘱咐 when emphasizing the urgency or care in the instruction, while 嘱托 is more about entrusting someone with a task.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 嘱咐 in informal contexts where a simple 告诉 would suffice. For example, saying '我嘱咐你这个' instead of '我告诉你这个' can sound overly serious.

Write 嘱咐

嘱
咐

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

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Grammar Patterns of 嘱咐

嘱咐 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 3 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.

Exercise 1 of 3

Fill the gap

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

他的医生____他戒酒.

His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.

Example Sentences for 嘱咐 (2)

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1
他的医生嘱咐他戒酒.

tā de yī shēng zhǔ fù tā jiè jiǔ.

His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.
2
护士和护士向我道别,嘱咐我出院后该咋了做.

hù shì hé hù shì xiàng wǒ dào bié, , zhǔ fù wǒ chū yuàn hòu gāi zǎ le.

Doctors and nurses, to say theirss goodbyes and give orders.
Exercise 1 of 1

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Rebuild it: “His doctor ordered him to abstain from beer and wine.”

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Frequently Asked Questions about 嘱咐

While both mean 'to tell', 嘱咐 implies a stronger sense of obligation and care, often used in more serious contexts.

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