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楮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
楮chǔmulberry; paperzg, 12 strokes, radical 木
楮chǔBroussonetia kasinokiunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
chǔ(chu3) T3
  1. 1mulberry; paper
  2. 2Broussonetia kasinoki
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

楮chǔ(chu3)

The character 楮 (chǔ) refers to the mulberry tree, which is significant in traditional Chinese papermaking. The bark of the mulberry tree is used to produce a type of paper that has been utilized for centuries, especially in the context of Chinese calligraphy and art. It embodies a connection to both nature and cultural craftsmanship.

Strokes12Radical木
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the mulberry tree is not only valued for its paper but also for its role in sericulture (silk production), making it a key part of the agricultural landscape in ancient China.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tree with broad leaves (the radical 木, meaning 'tree') that provides the material for fine paper. Picture a craftsman named 'Chǔ' who makes beautiful scrolls from the bark of this special mulberry tree, emphasizing its importance in art and culture.

Meanings of 楮

chǔ(chu3)
1mulberry; paper
2Broussonetia kasinoki
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 楮

楮Simplified
12Strokes
木Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 楮

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Podcast: 楮

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AI Study Notes for 楮

Usage Notes

It's important to use 楮 in contexts related to traditional crafts or when discussing paper production. Avoid confusing it with other tree-related characters, as they may have different nuances and uses. The tone should be pronounced correctly to avoid misunderstandings, as it is a third tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 楮 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding this character can enhance your appreciation of cultural references in literature and history. Focus on its connection to paper production and the traditional arts, which may appear in texts at higher levels.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 楮 with other tree-related characters like 树 (shù, meaning 'tree'). For example, saying '我喜欢楮' (Wǒ xǐhuān chǔ) when they mean 'I like trees' would be incorrect; the proper character would be 树.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 楮

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Etymology of 楮

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

tree

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 楮

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half者 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaytree
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 楮? 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 楮?

Decomposition of 楮

IDS Structure⿰木者
楮Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
者zhe3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 楮?

How to say mulberry; paper in Chinese

“mulberry; paper” in Chinese is楮chǔ

The character 楮 (chǔ) refers to the mulberry tree, which is significant in traditional Chinese papermaking. The bark of the mulberry tree is used to produce a type of paper that has been utilized for centuries, especially in the context of Chinese calligraphy and art. It embodies a connection to both nature and cultural craftsmanship.

When to use 楮

It's important to use 楮 in contexts related to traditional crafts or when discussing paper production. Avoid confusing it with other tree-related characters, as they may have different nuances and uses. The tone should be pronounced correctly to avoid misunderstandings, as it is a third tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 楮 with other tree-related characters like 树 (shù, meaning 'tree'). For example, saying '我喜欢楮' (Wǒ xǐhuān chǔ) when they mean 'I like trees' would be incorrect; the proper character would be 树.

Write 楮

楮

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

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Word Family of 楮

Words Containing This Character1
楮chǔBroussonetia kasinoki
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 楮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 楮

In modern contexts, 楮 generally relates to mulberry trees and their use in traditional paper production.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 楮?

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