Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
楸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
楸qiūMallotus japonicusg, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #26763, Very Hard
楸qiūCatalpaunknown, 13 strokes, radical 木, rank #26763, Very Hard
qiū(qiu1) T1
  1. 1Mallotus japonicus
  2. 2Catalpa
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

楸qiū(qiu1)

The character 楸 (qiū) refers to the Catalpa tree, a species known for its large, decorative flowers and broad leaves. In Chinese culture, it is often associated with beauty and shade, commonly found in gardens and parks. Additionally, it can also refer to the Mallotus japonicus, which is a type of tree that yields a valuable resin.

Strokes13Radical木Frequency#26763DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese gardens, trees like the Catalpa are valued not only for their beauty but also for their shade, making them popular in designs for relaxation spaces. The tree is often featured in literature and poetry, symbolizing peace and tranquility.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 楸 as a tree (木) standing tall in a garden (阝) during autumn (秋). The '木' radical at the left signifies wood or trees, while the '阝' suggests a landscape, highlighting its natural beauty. Imagine the vibrant colors of autumn leaves falling from this tree, helping you remember its pronunciation 'qiū'.

Meanings of 楸

qiū(qiu1)
1Mallotus japonicus
2Catalpa
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 楸

楸Simplified
13Strokes
木Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 楸

JasonAmy

Podcast: 楸

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 楸

Usage Notes

This character is typically used in botanical contexts and is less common in everyday conversation, making it more formal. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar characters like 秋 (qiū, autumn), which sounds similar but has a different meaning. Ensure to practice the correct pronunciation to avoid confusion.

HSK Study Tips

Although 楸 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, understanding this character can deepen your botanical vocabulary, which often overlaps with other HSK words. Focus on related terms like 树 (shù, tree) and 花 (huā, flower) to build your knowledge in this area.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 楸 with similar-sounding characters like 秋 (qiū, autumn) or 树 (shù, tree). For example, saying '我喜欢秋' (I like qiū) instead of '我喜欢楸' (I like qiū) can lead to misunderstandings about what tree is being referred to.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 楸

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 楸 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 楸

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

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 秋 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

tree

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 楸

Phonosemantic compound. 木 represents the meaning and 秋 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half秋 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 楸? 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 楸?

Decomposition of 楸

IDS Structure⿰木秋
楸Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
秋Qiu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 楸?

How to say Mallotus japonicus in Chinese

“Mallotus japonicus” in Chinese is楸qiū

The character 楸 (qiū) refers to the Catalpa tree, a species known for its large, decorative flowers and broad leaves. In Chinese culture, it is often associated with beauty and shade, commonly found in gardens and parks. Additionally, it can also refer to the Mallotus japonicus, which is a type of tree that yields a valuable resin.

When to use 楸

This character is typically used in botanical contexts and is less common in everyday conversation, making it more formal. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar characters like 秋 (qiū, autumn), which sounds similar but has a different meaning. Ensure to practice the correct pronunciation to avoid confusion.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 楸 with similar-sounding characters like 秋 (qiū, autumn) or 树 (shù, tree). For example, saying '我喜欢秋' (I like qiū) instead of '我喜欢楸' (I like qiū) can lead to misunderstandings about what tree is being referred to.

Write 楸

楸

Practice writing 楸 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 楸

Words Containing This Character2
楸qiūCatalpa
鹅掌楸Chinese tulip tree鵝掌楸
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 楸 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 楸

It refers to the Catalpa tree, known for its ornamental qualities.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 楸?

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.