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March 24, 2026
瘦shòu(shou4)
The character 瘦 (shòu) primarily means 'thin' or 'lean,' often referring to a person's body, clothing, or food. It can also indicate a lack of mass or productivity, such as in 'thin land' or 'lean meat.' This term is commonly used in contexts discussing health, diet, and physical appearance.
Strokes14Radical疒Frequency#3194DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being thin is often associated with health and beauty, especially among younger generations. This contrasts with some Western cultures where a fuller figure may also be celebrated.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person standing on a scale, looking very thin and lean. The character 瘦 has the radical 疒 (sickness) on the left, suggesting that being too thin can be unhealthy. The right side, 受 (shòu), can remind you of 'receiving' a compliment for being fit, but it also hints at the potential downside of being too thin.
Meanings of 瘦
shòu(shou4)
1thin
2to lose weight
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 瘦
瘦Simplified
14Strokes
疒Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#3194Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L3IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRB2
Podcast: 瘦
Podcast: 瘦
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AI Study Notes for 瘦
Quick Contrast
瘦 (shòu) vs 瘠 (jí) — use 瘦 for general thinness or leanness, while 瘠 specifically refers to excessive thinness or emaciation.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person standing on a scale, looking very thin and lean. The character 瘦 has the radical 疒 (sickness) on the left, suggesting that being too thin can be unhealthy. The right side, 受 (shòu), can remind you of 'receiving' a compliment for being fit, but it also hints at the potential downside of being too thin.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 瘦 (shòu) with 胖 (pàng), which means 'fat.' In informal settings, it's common to say '我想瘦一点' (I want to lose a little weight), but be cautious with the tone when discussing someone's weight to avoid offending. The tone of this word is fourth, which can sometimes be mispronounced as a rising tone.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 3 word, 瘦 can be connected with other vocabulary related to health and body such as 健康 (healthy) and 瘦身 (to lose weight). Students should focus on using it in sentences that describe physical conditions or preferences regarding food.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being thin is often associated with health and beauty, especially among younger generations. This contrasts with some Western cultures where a fuller figure may also be celebrated.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 瘦 and 瘦身 (to lose weight), using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我瘦身了' instead of '我瘦了' (I have lost weight) can sound awkward. Remember to use 瘦 specifically to describe the state of being thin.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 瘦
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Grammar Patterns of 瘦
瘦 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 6 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.
She has one slightly withered leg, noticeably thinner than the other.
9
她看着那个瘦高个儿上了车。
tā kàn zháo nà gè shòu gāo gè ér shàng le chē。
She watched the tall, lean figure step into the car.
10
他的双腿和他庞大身躯的其他部分相比瘦得可怜。
tā de shuāng tuǐ hé tā páng dà shēn qū de qí tā bù fēn xiāng bǐ shòu dé kě lián。
His legs were pitifully thin compared to the rest of his bulk.
Cultural Notes for 瘦
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, being '瘦' is often associated with beauty and health, which reflects traditional ideals of aesthetics. This can be seen in various forms of media and fashion.
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, being thin is often associated with health and beauty, especially among younger generations. This contrasts with some Western cultures where a fuller figure may also be celebrated.
Word Family of 瘦
Words Containing This Character16
瘦shòuthin
瘦小petite
瘦子thin person
瘦弱thin and weak
消瘦to waste away
瘦肉lean meat
骨瘦如柴as thin as a match
瘦削slim
清瘦meager
瘦长slim瘦長
瘦骨嶙峋skinny; emaciated (idiom)
精瘦slender
纤瘦slender纖瘦
干瘦wizened乾瘦
面黄肌瘦yellow face, emaciated body (idiom); malnourished and sickly in appearance面黃肌瘦
瘦骨伶仃emaciated
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 瘦 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 瘦
瘦 (shòu) refers to being thin in terms of body shape or meat, while 薄 (bó) means thin in terms of thickness, such as paper or fabric. For instance, you would use 薄 to describe a thin layer of material, but 瘦 when talking about a person who has lost weight.
Yes, 瘦 can be used positively depending on the context. While it can describe someone who is healthy and fit, it can also imply that someone is too thin, which might not be viewed positively. It's essential to consider the context in which it's used.
瘦 (shòu) means 'thin' or 'lean.' It can refer to a person's physique, clothing that is tight-fitting, or meat that has little fat. Additionally, it can describe land that is unproductive.
瘦 can be used in various contexts. For example, you can say '我想瘦一点' (Wǒ xiǎng shòu yīdiǎn), which means 'I want to lose some weight.' It can also describe clothing, such as '这件衣服太瘦了' (Zhè jiàn yīfú tài shòu le) meaning 'This piece of clothing is too tight.'
You can say '我想瘦一点' (wǒ xiǎng shòu yīdiǎn).
The opposite of 瘦 is 胖 (pàng), which means 'fat.'
Yes, 瘦 can describe meat as 'lean' or 'not fatty,' such as 瘦肉 (lean meat).
