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坴 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
坴lùa clod of earth; landx, 8 strokes, radical 土
lù(lu4) T4
  1. 1a clod of earth; land
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March 24, 2026

坴lù(lu4)

The character 坴 (lù) refers to a clod of earth or land, often used in agricultural contexts. It can describe loose soil or dirt, highlighting its physical properties and relation to farming or nature. This term may also evoke imagery of rural landscapes.

Strokes8Radical土
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese agriculture, understanding types of soil and land is crucial for successful farming, reflecting the importance of 坴 in rural life and practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a big clod of dirt (坴) sitting on a farm (土 - the radical for earth). The character has a 'ground' component at the bottom, reminding you that it's about land, while the upper part suggests it is a solid piece of earth.

Meanings of 坴

lù(lu4)
1a clod of earth; land
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 坴

坴Simplified
8Strokes
土Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 坴

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Podcast: 坴

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AI Study Notes for 坴

Usage Notes

This character is more commonly used in written contexts rather than spoken language. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters like 土 (tǔ), which simply means 'earth' or 'soil.' It is often used in phrases related to agriculture and nature.

HSK Study Tips

Although 坴 is not part of the HSK curriculum, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to nature and earth. Pay attention to characters that include the 土 radical, as they often are related to land and soil.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 坴 with similar characters like 土 (tǔ) or 田 (tián), which can lead to incorrect usage. Remember, 坴 specifically refers to a clod of earth, while 土 is more general for earth or soil.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 坴

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Etymology of 坴

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

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 圥 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

Soil 土 heaped 八 on the earth 土

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 坴

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 圥 represents the sound.

  1. 1The giveawaySoil 土 heaped 八 on the earth 土
  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 坴? 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 坴?

Decomposition of 坴

IDS Structure⿱⿱土八土
坴Full Character
=
土Tu3
top
八ba1
bottom
土Tu3
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 坴?

How to say a clod of earth; land in Chinese

“a clod of earth; land” in Chinese is坴lù

The character 坴 (lù) refers to a clod of earth or land, often used in agricultural contexts. It can describe loose soil or dirt, highlighting its physical properties and relation to farming or nature. This term may also evoke imagery of rural landscapes.

When to use 坴

This character is more commonly used in written contexts rather than spoken language. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters like 土 (tǔ), which simply means 'earth' or 'soil.' It is often used in phrases related to agriculture and nature.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 坴 with similar characters like 土 (tǔ) or 田 (tián), which can lead to incorrect usage. Remember, 坴 specifically refers to a clod of earth, while 土 is more general for earth or soil.

Write 坴

坴

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 坴

No, 坴 is more often found in written texts, especially those related to agriculture.

Jason Recommends

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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.