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楛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
楛hùcoarse, crude; a kind of plantx, 13 strokes, radical 木
楛hù(tree)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 木
楛hùbroken utensilunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木
楛kǔcoarse, crude; a kind of plantx, 13 strokes, radical 木
楛kǔ(tree)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 木
楛kǔbroken utensilunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木
hù(hu4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1coarse, crude; a kind of plant
  2. 2(tree)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

楛hù(hu4)

The character 楛 (hù) primarily refers to something coarse or crude, often associated with rough or unrefined items. It can also denote a specific type of plant known for its coarse texture, as well as broken utensils or tools. In broader contexts, this character can relate to trees, highlighting its connection to nature.

Strokes13Radical木
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, coarse plants like those represented by 楛 may be valued for their rough texture, which is believed to have specific health benefits. Knowledge of such plants can be essential for understanding herbal remedies in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a rough, unpolished tree with coarse bark. The character 楛 resembles a tree (木) with a rough texture, and you can remember the pronunciation 'hù' by thinking of how you might 'huff' when trying to cut through something coarse and tough.

Meanings of 楛

hù(hu4)
primary
1coarse, crude; a kind of plant
2(tree)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 楛

楛Simplified
13Strokes
木Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 楛

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Podcast: 楛

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AI Study Notes for 楛

Usage Notes

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more suitable for literary or botanical discussions. Be cautious with tone; 'hù' has a falling tone, which can change the meaning if not pronounced correctly. It may also appear in specialized contexts, such as botany.

HSK Study Tips

Since 楛 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, learners at this level should focus on more commonly used characters that describe texture and quality. Understanding this character can enhance vocabulary around plants and nature, connecting it to HSK Level 3 and above words like '树' (tree) and '粗' (coarse).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 楛 with similar characters like '粗' (cū, meaning coarse) due to their thematic similarity. Be careful to remember that 楛 specifically relates to coarse plants or broken utensils, not just the adjective for texture.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 楛

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Etymology of 楛

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

A bitter 苦 plant 木; 苦 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 楛

  1. 1The giveawayA bitter 苦 plant 木; 苦 also provides the pronunciation
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 楛? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 楛?

Decomposition of 楛

IDS Structure⿰木苦
楛Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
苦ku3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 楛?

How to say coarse, crude; a kind of plant in Chinese

“coarse, crude; a kind of plant” in Chinese is楛hù

The character 楛 (hù) primarily refers to something coarse or crude, often associated with rough or unrefined items. It can also denote a specific type of plant known for its coarse texture, as well as broken utensils or tools. In broader contexts, this character can relate to trees, highlighting its connection to nature.

When to use 楛

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it more suitable for literary or botanical discussions. Be cautious with tone; 'hù' has a falling tone, which can change the meaning if not pronounced correctly. It may also appear in specialized contexts, such as botany.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 楛 with similar characters like '粗' (cū, meaning coarse) due to their thematic similarity. Be careful to remember that 楛 specifically relates to coarse plants or broken utensils, not just the adjective for texture.

Write 楛

楛

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 楛

Words Containing This Character1
楛hù(tree)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 楛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 楛

It is not commonly used in daily conversation, but it can refer to coarse plants or rough utensils in specific contexts.

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