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休 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
休Xiūsurname XiuHSK 2, zg, 6 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3125, Hard
休Xiūto restHSK 2, zg, 6 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3125, Hard
休Xiūto stop doing sth for a period of timeHSK 2, zg, 6 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3125, Hard
休Xiūto ceaseHSK 2, zg, 6 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3125, Hard
休Xiū(imperative) don'tHSK 2, zg, 6 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3125, Hard
休Xiūto rest; to stop; to retireHSK 2, zg, 6 strokes, radical 亻, rank #3125, Hard
Xiū(Xiu1) T1
  1. 1to rest
  2. 2to stop doing sth for a period of time
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
休Xiū(Xiu1)

The character 休 (xiū) primarily means 'to rest' or 'to cease.' It is commonly used in contexts related to taking a break from work or stopping an activity temporarily. Additionally, it can function as an imperative, indicating a command not to do something.

Strokes6Radical亻Frequency#3125DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, taking a break or resting is often emphasized as essential for maintaining health and productivity. The concept of '休息' is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, which advocates for balance between work and rest.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person lying down under a tree (木) to take a restful break (休). The left side (亻) represents a person, and the right side (木) symbolizes a tree, together conveying the idea of a person resting.

Meanings of 休

Xiū(Xiu1)
1to rest
2to stop doing sth for a period of time
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 休

休Simplified
6Strokes
亻Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#3125Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2

Podcast: 休

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Podcast: 休

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AI Study Notes for 休

Quick Contrast

休 (xiū) vs 停 (tíng) — use 休 when emphasizing a break or rest, while 停 focuses on stopping an action.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person lying down under a tree (木) to take a restful break (休). The left side (亻) represents a person, and the right side (木) symbolizes a tree, together conveying the idea of a person resting.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 休 with 休息 (xiūxí), which means 'to take a break' or 'to rest.' This character is more informal and can be used in everyday conversation. Remember to use the correct tone; the first tone is important for clarity.

HSK Study Tips

While 休 is not listed in HSK levels, it connects well with other HSK Level 1 words related to actions, such as 做 (zuò - to do) and 吗 (ma - question particle). Focus on its usage in phrases to develop your vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, taking a break or resting is often emphasized as essential for maintaining health and productivity. The concept of '休息' is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, which advocates for balance between work and rest.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 休 to mean 'stop' in a formal context, which can sound abrupt. For example, saying '休工作' (xiū gōngzuò) instead of '停止工作' (tíngzhǐ gōngzuò) is awkward; the latter is more appropriate for stopping work formally.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 休

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Etymology of 休

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Depicts a person (亻) leaning on a tree (木) to rest (休).

Memory Hint

A person 亻 leaning against a tree 木

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 休?

Decomposition of 休

IDS Structure⿰亻木
休Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
木Mu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 休?

Write 休

休

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

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Grammar Patterns of 休

休 carries 6 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我____息了两天。

I rested for two days.

Example Sentences for 休 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
妈妈喋喋不休地念叨着他正如何毁掉我。

mā mā dié dié bù xiū dì niàn tāo zháo tā zhèng rú hé huǐ diào wǒ。

Momma babbled on and on about how he was ruining me.
2
他喋喋不休地说着某个无聊的电视连续剧。

tā dié dié bù xiū dì shuō zháo mǒu gè wú liáo de diàn shì lián xù jù。

He was carrying on about some stupid television series.
3
坎贝尔公司的总裁退休后，麦戈文被选定为继任者。

kǎn bèi ěr gōng sī de zǒng cái tuì xiū hòu， ， mài gē wén bèi xuǎn dìng wéi jì rèn。

When the chairman of Campbell's retired, McGovern was named as his successor.
4
休斯敦被选作大会的会址。

xiū sī dūn bèi xuǎn zuò dà huì de huì zhǐ。

Houston was chosen as the site for the convention.
5
你的工作会一直保留到你休完产假回来。

nǐ de gōng zuò huì yī zhí bǎo liú dào nǐ xiū wán chǎn jiǎ huí lái。

Your job will be kept open for your return after maternity leave.
6
你理应休息一下，出去好好玩玩。

nǐ lǐ yīng xiū xī yī xià， ， chū qù hǎo hǎo wán。

Take a well-earned rest and go out and enjoy yourself.
7
她温柔地责备他：“你要多休息，少说话。”

tā wēn róu dì zé bèi tā：“ ：“ nǐ yào duō xiū， xī ， shǎo。”

She admonished him gently, "You should rest, not talk so much."
8
这些休闲设施是供客人使用的。

zhè xiē xiū xián shè shī shì gōng kè rén shǐ yòng de。

The leisure facilities are there for the use of guests.
9
他们的休闲服系列瞄准的是追求时髦的13到25岁青少年。

tā mén de xiū xián fú xì liè miáo zhǔn de shì zhuī qiú shí máo de13 1325 dào 25 suì qīng。

Their range of leisurewear is aimed at fashion-conscious 13 to 25 year-olds.
10
决定本场比赛结果的进球是在中场休息前一刻打入的。

jué dìng běn cháng bǐ sài jié guǒ de jìn qiú shì zài zhōng cháng xiū xī qián yī kè dǎ rù de。

The goal that decided the match came just before the interval.

Cultural Notes for 休

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, taking a break or resting is often emphasized as essential for maintaining health and productivity. The concept of '休息' is deeply rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, which advocates for balance between work and rest.

Word Family of 休

Compounds13
咻xiu1to shout; to jeer at
庥xiu1shade; shelter, protection
恘
烋
茠
貅xiu1fierce; brave, courageous
髹xiu1red lacquer; to lacquer
鸺xiu1horned owl, scops chinensis
恷
烌
銝
鮴
鵂xiu1horned owl, scops chinensis
Words Containing This Character20
休息xiūxirest
休闲xiūxiánleisure休閒
退休tuìxiūto retire
休Xiūto rest
休假xiūjiàto take a vacation
休息室lobby
休克xiūkèshock (loanword)
休想xiūxiǎngdon't think (that)
不休endlessly
罢休bàxiūto give up罷休
休庭to adjourn (law)
喋喋不休to chatter or jabber on and on
休斯顿Houston休斯頓
退休金tuìxiūjīnpension
休养xiūyǎngto recuperate休養
午休noon break
休斯敦Houston, Texas
休整to rest and reorganize (military)
双休日two-day weekend雙休日
休战armistice休戰
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 咻 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 休

You can say '我需要休息' (Wǒ xūyào xiūxí), which means 'I need to rest.'