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舞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
舞wǔto danceHSK 7, v, 14 strokes, radical 舛, rank #452, Very Hard
舞wǔto wieldHSK 7, v, 14 strokes, radical 舛, rank #452, Very Hard
舞wǔto brandishHSK 7, v, 14 strokes, radical 舛, rank #452, Very Hard
wǔ(wu3)wu T3
  1. 1to dance
  2. 2to wield
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March 24, 2026

舞wǔ(wu3)

The character 舞 (wǔ) primarily means 'to dance' and can also imply 'to wield' or 'to brandish'. It is commonly used in contexts related to performing arts, especially in traditional Chinese dance and modern choreography, as well as in martial arts when referring to the movement of weapons.

Strokes14Radical舛Frequency#452DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, dance is often seen as a form of expression and celebration, with traditional dances playing a vital role during festivals and ceremonies. The art of dance is historically significant, with various regional styles representing different cultural identities.

Memory Tip

Imagine a graceful dancer with arms outstretched, brandishing a sword, creating elegant shapes in the air. The character 舞 contains the radical for 'dance' (舞) and can be remembered as a dancer wielding their body gracefully, with 'wǔ' sounding like 'woo'—as if you are captivated by their performance.

Meanings of 舞

wǔ(wu3)
1to dance
2to wield
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 舞 means.

About 舞

舞Simplified
14Strokes
舛Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#452Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRB2

Podcast: 舞

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Podcast: 舞

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AI Study Notes for 舞

Quick Contrast

舞 (wǔ, to dance) vs 扭 (niǔ, to twist) — use 舞 for dance movements, while 扭 implies twisting or turning movement.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 舞 with similar-looking characters like 舞 and 走 (zǒu, to walk). It's important to use 舞 specifically for dance contexts. This word is neutral in tone, suitable for both formal and informal situations, but it is often used in artistic settings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 舞 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it connects closely with HSK Level 3 vocabulary related to activities and hobbies. Students should focus on using it in sentences to describe dance or movements and practice its pronunciation to distinguish it from similar tones.

Common Mistakes

A frequent mistake is using 舞 in contexts where other words like 跳 (tià, to jump) would be more appropriate, such as saying '我喜欢舞' instead of '我喜欢跳舞'. Remember, 舞 is specifically for dance.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 舞

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Etymology of 舞

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 舛 represents the meaning and 無 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

A hand 舛 holding a fan

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 舞?

Decomposition of 舞

IDS Structure⿱無舛
舞Full Character
=
無wu2
top
舛chuan3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 舞?

How to say to dance in Chinese

“to dance” in Chinese is舞wǔ

The character 舞 (wǔ) primarily means 'to dance' and can also imply 'to wield' or 'to brandish'. It is commonly used in contexts related to performing arts, especially in traditional Chinese dance and modern choreography, as well as in martial arts when referring to the movement of weapons.

When to use 舞

Learners often confuse 舞 with similar-looking characters like 舞 and 走 (zǒu, to walk). It's important to use 舞 specifically for dance contexts. This word is neutral in tone, suitable for both formal and informal situations, but it is often used in artistic settings.

舞 or something close to it

舞 (wǔ, to dance) vs 扭 (niǔ, to twist) — use 舞 for dance movements, while 扭 implies twisting or turning movement.

What learners get wrong

A frequent mistake is using 舞 in contexts where other words like 跳 (tià, to jump) would be more appropriate, such as saying '我喜欢舞' instead of '我喜欢跳舞'. Remember, 舞 is specifically for dance.

Write 舞

舞

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

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Grammar Patterns of 舞

舞 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 4

Fill the gap

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

晚会上大家又唱歌,又跳____,高兴极了。

At the party everyone both sang and danced — they were extremely happy.

Example Sentences for 舞 (16)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她是伦敦著名的“薄荷犀牛”夜总会的钢管舞舞者。

tā shì lún dūn zhù míng de“ “ báo hé xī” niú ” yè zǒng huì de gāng guǎn wǔ。

She is a pole dancer at London's famous Spearmint Rhino club.
2
伦敦市芭蕾舞团从波修瓦芭蕾舞团聘来了两名男舞蹈演员。

lún dūn shì bā lěi wǔ tuán cóng bō xiū wǎ bā lěi wǔ tuán pìn lái le liǎng míng nán wǔ dǎo yǎn yuán。

The London City Ballet has engaged two male dancers from the Bolshoi.
3
好莱坞的大牌影星们出席了那个舞会。

hǎo lái wù de dà pái yǐng xīng mén chū xí le nà gè wǔ huì。

The Ball was attended by the cream of Hollywood society.
4
这些家伙显然很拿舞厅这事当回事。

zhè xiē jiā huǒ xiǎn rán hěn ná wǔ tīng zhè shì dāng huí shì。

These folks clearly take this ballroom thing very seriously.
5
这支舞蹈的配乐是由亨利·托尔格所作的一首原创曲目。

zhè zhī wǔ dǎo de pèi lè shì yóu hēng lì· · tuō ěr gé suǒ zuò de yī shǒu yuán chuàng qū。

The dance is accompanied by an original score by Henry Torgue.
6
一张张白帆随着微风舞动。

yī zhāng zhāng bái fān suí zháo wēi fēng wǔ dòng。

The white sails billow with the breezes they catch.
7
这真是一段精彩绝伦的舞蹈表演,每次总是博得全场喝彩。

zhè zhēn shì yī duàn jīng cǎi jué lún de wǔ dǎo biǎo yǎn, , měi cì zǒng shì bó dé quán cháng hē。

It's really an amazing dance. It just always brings the house down.
8
这个展览是一次不但令人愉快,而且还鼓舞人心的体验。

zhè gè zhǎn lǎn shì yī cì bù dàn líng rén yú kuài, , ér qiě huán gǔ wǔ rén xīn de tǐ。

The exhibition is an enjoyable and, ultimately, life-affirming experience.
9
他制作推出了《歌舞线上》这一百老汇经久不衰的剧目。

tā zhì zuò tuī chū le《 《 gē wǔ xiàn》 shàng 》 zhè yī bǎi lǎo huì jīng jiǔ bù shuāi de。

He produced "A Chorus Line", Broadway's longest running show.
10
他称曼德拉先生为鼓舞了数百万民众的英雄。

tā chēng màn dé lā xiān shēng wéi gǔ wǔ le shù bǎi wàn mín zhòng de yīng xióng。

He called Mr Mandela a hero who had inspired millions.
11
每周五晚上,她都会去舞厅和朋友们一起跳舞。

Měi zhōu wǔ wǎnshàng, tā dūhuì qù wǔtīng hé péngyǒumen yīqǐ tiàowǔ.

Every Friday night, she goes to the dance hall to dance with her friends.
12
舞蹈是一种可以表达情感的艺术形式。

Wǔdǎo shì yī zhǒng kěyǐ biǎodá qínggǎn de yìshù xíngshì.

Dance is an art form that can express emotions.
13
在传统节日期间,人们常常在广场上舞龙舞狮,庆祝节日的到来。

Zài chuántǒng jiérì qíjiān, rénmen chángcháng zài guǎngchǎng shàng wǔ lóng wǔ shī, qìngzhù jiérì de dàolái.

During traditional festivals, people often perform dragon and lion dances in the square to celebrate the arrival of the festival.
14
她从小就开始学习古典舞,现在是一名专业的舞蹈演员。

Tā cóngxiǎo jiù kāishǐ xuéxí gǔdiǎn wǔ, xiànzài shì yī míng zhuānyè de wǔdǎo yǎnyuán.

She began learning classical dance from a young age and is now a professional dancer.
15
这个音乐节吸引了来自世界各地的舞者,他们在舞台上尽情舞动,展示各自的风采。

Zhège yīnyuè jié xīyǐn le láizì shìjiè gèdì de wǔzhě, tāmen zài wǔtái shàng jìnqíng wǔdòng, zhǎnshì gèzì de fēngcǎi.

This music festival attracted dancers from all over the world, who danced freely on stage, showcasing their unique styles.
16
她在舞会上尽情舞蹈,吸引了所有人的目光。

Tā zài wǔhuì shàng jìnqíng wǔdǎo, xīyǐn le suǒyǒu rén de mùguāng.

She danced exuberantly at the ball, capturing everyone's attention.

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Word Family of 舞

Compounds1
儛
Words Containing This Character20
舞wǔto dance
舞台wǔtáistage舞臺
舞蹈wǔdǎodancing
跳舞tiàowǔto dance
舞会dance舞會
鼓舞gǔwǔheartening (news)
歌舞gēwǔsinging and dancing
独舞solo dance獨舞
挥舞to brandish揮舞
舞步dance steps
舞动to flourish舞動
脱衣舞striptease脫衣舞
飞舞to flutter飛舞
舞伴dancing partner
芭蕾舞ballet (loanword)
现代舞modern dance現代舞
舞厅wǔtīngdance hall舞廳
舞曲dance music
街舞street dance (e.g. breakdance)
舞姿dancer's posture and movement
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 舞

What does 舞台 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 舞

You can say '我喜欢跳舞' (Wǒ xǐhuān tiàowǔ) meaning 'I like to dance'.

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