Meanings of 帚
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About 帚
Podcast: 帚
Podcast: 帚
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AI Study Notes for 帚
Imagine a broom sweeping away dirt, where the character 帚 looks like a broomstick with bristles. The left radical represents a tool, while the right part suggests action, helping you remember that 帚 (zhǒu) means broom.
Learners often confuse 帚 with other cleaning tools, such as 扫把 (sàobǎ), which means 'sweeper.' 帚 is more formal and typically used in written contexts. Remember that the tone is important; mispronouncing it could lead to misunderstandings.
Although 帚 is not in the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other household items like 扫 (sǎo - to sweep) and 清洁 (qīngjié - to clean). Focus on using it in sentences about cleaning to reinforce its meaning.
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued, and using a broom (especially during Lunar New Year) is associated with sweeping away bad luck to welcome good fortune.
Learners may confuse 帚 with 扫把 (sàobǎ), leading to incorrect usage in context. Always remember that 帚 is more formal and means 'broom' specifically, while 扫把 refers to a sweeper or broomstick used informally.
Pronunciation of 帚
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Etymology of 帚
Pictograph of a hand sweeping with a broom.
A hand 巾 holding a broom with the head 彐 held up
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 帚?
Decomposition of 帚
Identify the Components
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Write 帚
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Practice writing 帚 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 帚
帚 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.
Complete the Sentence
拿扫____把那些玻璃清扫干净好吗？
Get a broom and sweep up that glass will you?
Example Sentences for 帚 (1)
Cultural Notes for 帚
In Chinese culture, cleanliness is highly valued, and using a broom (especially during Lunar New Year) is associated with sweeping away bad luck to welcome good fortune.
Word Family of 帚
Compound Meaning
What does 扫帚 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 帚
You can say '我用帚扫地' (Wǒ yòng zhǒu sǎo dì) meaning 'I use a broom to sweep the floor.'