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菊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
菊júchrysanthemumHSK 6, n, 11 strokes, radical 艹, rank #13831, Hard
jú(ju2)ju T2
  1. 1chrysanthemum
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March 24, 2026

菊jú(ju2)

菊 (jú) refers to the chrysanthemum flower, which is often associated with autumn in Chinese culture. It symbolizes longevity, resilience, and is frequently featured in traditional Chinese art and poetry. Additionally, it is celebrated during festivals such as the Double Ninth Festival, where people admire its beauty and drink chrysanthemum tea.

Strokes11Radical艹Frequency#13831DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In China, chrysanthemums are one of the Four Gentlemen in traditional painting, alongside plum blossoms, orchids, and bamboo, representing noble qualities. They are also a symbol of the resilience of life, thriving even in the cold autumn months.

Memory tip

Imagine a beautiful chrysanthemum flower blooming in a garden. The character 菊 resembles a blooming flower, with the top part (艹) representing grass or plants, and the bottom part (九) can remind you of the number nine, which is often associated with longevity.

Meanings of 菊

jú(ju2)
1chrysanthemum
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 菊 means.

About 菊

菊Simplified
11Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateCEFRC1

Podcast: 菊

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Podcast: 菊

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AI study notes for 菊

Quick Contrast

菊 (jú) vs 玫瑰 (méiguī) — choose 菊 for autumn symbolism and cultural significance, while 玫瑰 represents romance and love.

Usage Notes

When using 菊, it is important to remember that it is a more formal term often found in literature and botanical contexts. Common collocations include '菊花' (júhuā) for chrysanthemum flower and '菊茶' (júchá) for chrysanthemum tea. Be careful with pronunciation, as mispronouncing the tone can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 菊 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to themes of nature and seasons present in HSK Level 2 and 3. Students should focus on recognizing this character in texts related to nature or cultural festivals.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 菊 with similar characters due to the pronunciation. For example, saying 'jǔ' (举) instead of 'jú' (菊) can lead to misunderstandings, as 举 means 'to lift' or 'to raise'. Always remember the correct tone and context when using this character.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 菊

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Etymology of 菊

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

flower

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

Origin

菊 = 艹 + 匊. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 菊

IDS Structure⿱艹匊
菊Full character
=
艹cao3
top
匊ju1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 菊?

How to say chrysanthemum in Chinese

“chrysanthemum” in Chinese is菊jú

菊 (jú) refers to the chrysanthemum flower, which is often associated with autumn in Chinese culture. It symbolizes longevity, resilience, and is frequently featured in traditional Chinese art and poetry. Additionally, it is celebrated during festivals such as the Double Ninth Festival, where people admire its beauty and drink chrysanthemum tea.

When to use 菊

When using 菊, it is important to remember that it is a more formal term often found in literature and botanical contexts. Common collocations include '菊花' (júhuā) for chrysanthemum flower and '菊茶' (júchá) for chrysanthemum tea. Be careful with pronunciation, as mispronouncing the tone can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words.

菊 or something close to it

菊 (jú) vs 玫瑰 (méiguī) — choose 菊 for autumn symbolism and cultural significance, while 玫瑰 represents romance and love.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 菊 with similar characters due to the pronunciation. For example, saying 'jǔ' (举) instead of 'jú' (菊) can lead to misunderstandings, as 举 means 'to lift' or 'to raise'. Always remember the correct tone and context when using this character.

Write 菊

菊

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

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Grammar patterns of 菊

菊 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 2

Fill the gap

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

新手养____花,该如何浇水?

For beginners growing chrysanthemums, how should you water them?

Example sentences for 菊 (8)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她的双眸是矢车菊一般的亮蓝色。

tā de shuāng móu shì shǐ chē jú yìbān de liàng lánsè。

Her eyes were a bright, cornflower blue.
2
菊花开了, 有红的,有黄的.

júhuā kāi le, yǒu hóng de, yǒu huáng de.

The chrysanthemums are in bloom; some are red and some yellow.
3
每个吊唁的人都佩带着黑纱和一朵白纸菊花.

měi gè diào yàn de rén dōu pèi dài zhe hēi shā hé yī duǒ bái zhǐ júhuā.

Each mourner wore a black armband and a white paper chrysanthemum.
4
如果你针线活做得好,可以在自己的毛衣上绣几朵雏菊做点缀。

rúguǒ nǐ zhēn xiàn huó zuò de hǎo, kěyǐ zài zìjǐ de máoyī shàng xiù jǐ duǒ chú jú zuò diǎnzhuì。

If you're handy with a needle you could brighten up your sweater with daisies.
5
在两个潮湿的冬天抵抗的一朵非常茁壮的菊花.

zài liǎng gè cháoshī de dōngtiān dǐkàng de yī duǒ fēicháng zhuó zhuàng de júhuā.

A very sturdy chrysanthemum which resisted in two wet winters.
6
你为什么不去理发, 你简直像朵菊花了.

nǐ wèishénme bù qù lǐfà, nǐ jiǎnzhí xiàng duǒ júhuā le.

Why do not you get a haircut, you look like a chrysanthemum.
7
菊花展上一片秋光.

júhuā Zhǎn shàng yī piàn Qiū guāng.

The chrysanthemum show is full of the beauty of autumn.
8
落叶灌木类,如丁香 、 绣线菊 、 绣球花等.

là xié guàn mù lèi, rú Dīng xiāng、 xiù xiàn jú、 xiù qiú huā děng.

Deciduous shrub style such as lilac, spirea, hydrangea, etc.

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Word Family of 菊

Words containing this character12
菊júchrysanthemum
菊花júhuāchrysanthemum
雏菊daisy雛菊
黄菊wine黃菊
菊苣chicory
菊池Kikuchi (Japanese surname and place name)
菊花茶chrysanthemum tea
菊芋Jerusalem artichoke
菊科Asteraceae or Compositae (composites), a large family of dicotyledonous plants producing scents, includes aster, daisy and sunflower
万寿菊Aztec or African marigold (Tagetes erecta)萬壽菊
菊粉(biochemistry) inulin (aka fructosan)
甘菊chamomile
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 菊

What does 菊花 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 菊

Chrysanthemums symbolize resilience and longevity, and they are celebrated during festivals like the Double Ninth Festival.

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