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督促 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
督促dūcùto supervise and urge completion of a taskHSK 7, v, rank #22868, Hard
督促dūcùto urge onHSK 7, v, rank #22868, Hard
dūcù(du1cu4) T1
  1. 1to supervise and urge completion of a task
  2. 2to urge on
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March 24, 2026
督促dūcù(du1cu4)

督促 (dūcù) means to supervise and urge someone to complete a task. It is commonly used in contexts where oversight and encouragement are needed, such as in work or educational settings. This verb implies an active role in ensuring that tasks are finished on time.

Frequency#22868DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 督促 reflects the traditional value placed on diligence and accountability, particularly in academic and professional environments. It is common for teachers and managers to actively encourage and monitor progress.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strict teacher (督) with a watchful eye, reminding students to finish their homework (促) before the deadline. The character 督 has a 'watch' radical, symbolizing supervision, while 促 suggests pushing someone forward, making it easier to remember the meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 督促

dūcù(du1cu4)
1to supervise and urge completion of a task
2to urge on
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 督促

督促Simplified
Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#22868Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 督促

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Podcast: 督促

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AI Study Notes for 督促

Quick Contrast

督导 (dūdǎo) vs 督促 (dūcù): Choose 督促 when emphasizing the act of urging completion, while 督导 focuses more on the guidance aspect.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a strict teacher (督) with a watchful eye, reminding students to finish their homework (促) before the deadline. The character 督 has a 'watch' radical, symbolizing supervision, while 促 suggests pushing someone forward, making it easier to remember the meaning and pronunciation.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone; 督 is pronounced with a high level tone (dū), while 促 has a falling tone (cù). This word is often used in formal contexts, such as in business or education, and can be combined with other verbs like '完成' (wánchéng, to complete) to express specific tasks.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 督促 connects to themes of responsibility and management found in advanced vocabulary. Students should focus on using it in sentences that illustrate the act of supervision and encouragement in various scenarios.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 督促 reflects the traditional value placed on diligence and accountability, particularly in academic and professional environments. It is common for teachers and managers to actively encourage and monitor progress.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 督促 with similar verbs like '提醒' (tíxǐng, to remind). For example, saying '我会提醒他完成任务' (I will urge him to complete the task) is incorrect; instead, use '我会督促他完成任务'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 督促

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Component Characters

to supervise and direct
13 strokes
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urgent
9 strokes
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Write 督促

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

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Grammar Patterns of 督促

督促 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

他通过几句有针对性的话不断____着队伍。

He chivvies the troops along with a few well-directed words.

Example Sentences for 督促 (1)

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1
他通过几句有针对性的话不断督促着队伍。

tā tōng guò jī jù yǒu zhēn duì xìng de huà bù duàn dū cù zháo duì wǔ。

He chivvies the troops along with a few well-directed words.

Cultural Notes for 督促

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of 督促 reflects the traditional value placed on diligence and accountability, particularly in academic and professional environments. It is common for teachers and managers to actively encourage and monitor progress.

Frequently Asked Questions about 督促

督促 emphasizes urging someone to complete a task, while 监督 focuses more on supervision without the element of urging.