Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
绌 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
绌chùto stitch, to sew; insufficientg, 8 strokes, radical 纟
绌chùcrimson silkunknown, 8 strokes, radical 纟
绌chùdeficiencyunknown, 8 strokes, radical 纟
chù(chu4)chu T4
  1. 1to stitch, to sew; insufficient
  2. 2crimson silk
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

绌(絀)chù(chu4)

The character 绌 (chù) primarily means 'to stitch' or 'to sew,' often referring to the act of joining materials together. It can also imply a sense of insufficiency or deficiency in quality or quantity. In some contexts, it relates to crimson silk, highlighting its ties to textiles and traditional craftsmanship.

Strokes8Radical纟
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, textiles have a rich history, and the art of stitching is celebrated in various traditional forms, such as embroidery. The word 绌 reflects the importance of craftsmanship in Chinese heritage.

Memory tip

Imagine a tailor (who stitches) working on a beautiful crimson silk garment. The character 绌 has a 'thread' radical (糸) indicating its connection to textiles, and the pronunciation 'chù' sounds like 'chew,' as if you're chewing on the silk thread while stitching.

Meanings of 绌

chù(chu4)
1to stitch, to sew; insufficient
2crimson silk
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 绌 means.

About 绌

绌Simplified
絀Traditional
8Strokes
纟Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 绌

JasonAmy

Podcast: 绌

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI study notes for 绌

Usage Notes

绌 is used primarily in written contexts and may appear in literary or formal discussions about textiles. Learners should be cautious of its formal tone and avoid using it in casual conversation. The common collocation is 绌缝 (chùfèng), meaning 'to stitch together.'

HSK Study Tips

Although 绌 is not part of the official HSK levels, it connects to topics related to textiles that may appear in advanced studies. Students should focus on understanding the context in which it appears, particularly in literature or discussions about traditional crafts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 绌 with similar characters. For instance, mixing it up with 缮 (shàn) which means 'to mend' can lead to incorrect context usage. Remember, 绌 specifically emphasizes stitching, while 缮 relates more to repairs.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 绌

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 绌 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 绌 to you

Let me explain 绌 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 绌 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How well do you know 绌?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 绌 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 绌

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

Phonosemantic compound. 纟 represents the meaning and 出 represents the sound. Simplified form of 絀.

Memory hint

thread

Semantic (meaning)纟
+
Phonetic (sound)出
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

绌 = 纟 + 出. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 绌

IDS Structure⿰纟出
绌Full character
=
纟si1
left
出chu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 绌?

How to say to stitch, to sew; insufficient in Chinese

“to stitch, to sew; insufficient” in Chinese is绌chù

The character 绌 (chù) primarily means 'to stitch' or 'to sew,' often referring to the act of joining materials together. It can also imply a sense of insufficiency or deficiency in quality or quantity. In some contexts, it relates to crimson silk, highlighting its ties to textiles and traditional craftsmanship.

When to use 绌

绌 is used primarily in written contexts and may appear in literary or formal discussions about textiles. Learners should be cautious of its formal tone and avoid using it in casual conversation. The common collocation is 绌缝 (chùfèng), meaning 'to stitch together.'

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 绌 with similar characters. For instance, mixing it up with 缮 (shàn) which means 'to mend' can lead to incorrect context usage. Remember, 绌 specifically emphasizes stitching, while 缮 relates more to repairs.

Write 绌

绌

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar patterns of 绌

绌 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

这一设计令其他作品相形见____。

This design knocks everything else into a cocked hat.

Example sentences for 绌 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这一设计令其他作品相形见绌。

zhè yī shèjì lìng qítā zuòpǐn Xiāng xíng jiàn chù。

This design knocks everything else into a cocked hat.
2
你那漂亮的花园使我那几朵小花相形见绌.

nǐ nà piàoliang de huāyuán shǐ wǒ nà jǐ duǒ xiǎo huā Xiāng xíng jiàn chù.

Your beautiful garden put my a few little flowers to shame.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 绌?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Cultural Notes for 绌

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

The concept of stitching and textiles is universally recognized, but in Western cultures, the emphasis may be more on fashion trends, whereas in China, it is often tied to cultural significance and craftsmanship.

Word Family of 绌

Words containing this character4
相形见绌to pale by comparison (idiom)相形見絀
绌chùcrimson silk絀
左支右绌to be in straitened circumstances左支右絀
心余力绌the will is there, but not the strength (idiom)心餘力絀
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 绌

What does 相形见绌 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 绌

您可以说:她用红色绌缝了这件衣服。

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 绌?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab