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痦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
痦wùspot, mole, birthmarkx, 12 strokes, radical 疒
痦wù(flat) moleunknown, 12 strokes, radical 疒
wù(wu4) T4
  1. 1spot, mole, birthmark
  2. 2(flat) mole
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

痦wù(wu4)

The character 痦 (wù) refers to a spot, mole, or birthmark on the skin, typically of a darker color. It is commonly used in medical contexts or discussions about skin features in everyday conversation. The nuance can vary slightly depending on whether the mole is raised, flat, or has other characteristics.

Strokes12Radical疒
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, skin features like moles and birthmarks are often associated with one's health and personality. Some believe that the location and characteristics of moles can reveal information about a person's fate or health.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'mole' on your skin that looks like a 'woe' in your life, causing you concern. The character 痦 has a 'sickness' radical (病) indicating something health-related, and the 'spot' (点) hints at its meaning. Picture a small, dark spot on your skin that you can remember as a 'woe' (wù).

Meanings of 痦

wù(wu4)
1spot, mole, birthmark
2(flat) mole
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 痦

痦Simplified
12Strokes
疒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 痦

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Podcast: 痦

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 痦

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 痦 with similar characters that describe other skin conditions. This term is informal and best used in everyday conversation rather than in formal medical writing. Common collocations include 痦子 (wùzi) for 'mole' or 'birthmark.'

HSK Study Tips

While 痦 is not an HSK level character, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to health and body parts, which are often covered in beginner levels. Focus on the radicals and similar characters to build a broader understanding of related terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 痦 with 痣 (zhì), which refers to a beauty mark. For example, saying '我有一个痣' (wǒ yǒu yīgè zhì) when they mean 'mole' is incorrect; it should be '我有一个痦' (wǒ yǒu yīgè wù).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 痦

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Etymology of 痦

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

sickness

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 痦

  1. 1The meaning half疒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half吾 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysickness
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 痦? 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 痦?

Decomposition of 痦

IDS Structure⿸疒吾
痦Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
吾Wu2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 痦?

How to say spot, mole, birthmark in Chinese

“spot, mole, birthmark” in Chinese is痦wù

The character 痦 (wù) refers to a spot, mole, or birthmark on the skin, typically of a darker color. It is commonly used in medical contexts or discussions about skin features in everyday conversation. The nuance can vary slightly depending on whether the mole is raised, flat, or has other characteristics.

When to use 痦

Be careful not to confuse 痦 with similar characters that describe other skin conditions. This term is informal and best used in everyday conversation rather than in formal medical writing. Common collocations include 痦子 (wùzi) for 'mole' or 'birthmark.'

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 痦 with 痣 (zhì), which refers to a beauty mark. For example, saying '我有一个痣' (wǒ yǒu yīgè zhì) when they mean 'mole' is incorrect; it should be '我有一个痦' (wǒ yǒu yīgè wù).

Write 痦

痦

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 痦

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, moles are often seen simply as beauty marks or skin imperfections, whereas in Chinese culture, they can be interpreted with deeper significance related to health and fortune.

Word Family of 痦

Words Containing This Character2
痦子nevus
痦wù(flat) mole
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 痦子 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 痦

The pronunciation is 'wù' with a falling tone, which may require practice to master.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 痦?

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.