Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
沭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
沭shùa river in Shantung provincens, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #40813, Very Hard
沭shùriver in Shandongunknown, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #40813, Very Hard
shù(shu4) T4
  1. 1a river in Shantung province
  2. 2river in Shandong
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

沭shù(shu4)

The character 沭 (shù) specifically refers to a river located in Shandong province, China. It is used primarily in geographical contexts and to denote local features in this region, reflecting the importance of rivers in Chinese culture and geography.

Strokes8Radical氵Frequency#40813DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

Rivers like the 沭 play a significant role in Chinese agriculture and culture, often being seen as lifelines for communities. Such rivers are celebrated in Chinese poetry and art, symbolizing abundance and sustenance.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 沭 as a flowing river (the water radical氵) running through Shandong (the 'Sh' sound in 'shù'). You can imagine the river nurturing the land as it flows, reminding you of its significance.

Meanings of 沭

shù(shu4)
1a river in Shantung province
2river in Shandong
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 沭

沭Simplified
8Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 沭

JasonAmy

Podcast: 沭

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 沭

Usage Notes

Since 沭 is a proper noun, it should be used in contexts discussing geography or local features, and may not be commonly used in casual conversation. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure you remember its specific context.

HSK Study Tips

Although 沭 is not part of the HSK curriculum, understanding it can enhance your geographical vocabulary and awareness of place names in China. Focus on the context in which it is used, especially in relation to rivers and provinces.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 沭 with other similar-sounding characters like 书 (shū, book) due to their phonetic similarities. Remember that 沭 specifically denotes a river, while 书 refers to literature.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 沭

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 沭 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 沭

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

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)术
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 沭

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half术 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 沭? 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 沭?

Decomposition of 沭

IDS Structure⿰氵术
沭Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
术shu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 沭?

How to say a river in Shantung province in Chinese

“a river in Shantung province” in Chinese is沭shù

The character 沭 (shù) specifically refers to a river located in Shandong province, China. It is used primarily in geographical contexts and to denote local features in this region, reflecting the importance of rivers in Chinese culture and geography.

When to use 沭

Since 沭 is a proper noun, it should be used in contexts discussing geography or local features, and may not be commonly used in casual conversation. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure you remember its specific context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 沭 with other similar-sounding characters like 书 (shū, book) due to their phonetic similarities. Remember that 沭 specifically denotes a river, while 书 refers to literature.

Write 沭

沭

Practice writing 沭 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 沭

Words Containing This Character5
沭shùriver in Shandong
沭阳Shuyang County in Suqian 宿遷|宿迁[Sù​qiān], Jiangsu沭陽
沭阳县Shuyang County in Suqian 宿遷|宿迁[Sù​qiān], Jiangsu沭陽縣
临沭县Linshu county in Linyi 臨沂|临沂[Lín​yí], Shandong臨沭縣
临沭Linshu county in Linyi 臨沂|临沂[Lín​yí], Shandong臨沭
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 沭 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 沭

It refers specifically to a river in Shandong province.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 沭?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.