Definition
竖 (shù) means 'vertical, upright'—the everyday word for something standing vertically, as opposed to the more technical 垂直 (chuí zhí 'perpendicular'), which is used in geometry or precise directions. As a verb, 竖 means 'to erect,' while 竖立 (shù lì) is a more formal, written synonym for the same action. Additionally, 竖 names the vertical stroke in Chinese characters, a unique meaning with no direct sibling.
adjective
verticalupright
verb
to erectto stand upright
noun
vertical stroke (in Chinese characters)
Easily confused
- 位wèilook-alike(classifier, polite) for people
- 书shūsound-alikebook
- 拉lālook-aliketo pull, to drag, to draw
- 输shūsound-aliketo lose (a competition, game, or argument)
- 粒lìlook-alike(classifier) for small round things (pills, bullets, grains, pearls, etc.)
- 数shǔsound-aliketo count, to enumerate
- 数shǔsound-aliketo count (enumerate)
- 树shùsound-aliketree
- 属shǔsound-aliketo belong to, to be affiliated with
- 束shùsound-alike(classifier) for bunches, bundles, or beams of light
Examples
- 竖。Qǐng bǎ zhè zhāng zhǐ shùzhe fàng.Please put this piece of paper vertically.
- 。Tā bǎ zhùzi shù qǐlái le.He erected the pillar.
- 竖。Zhège hànzì de dì yī bǐ shì shù.The first stroke of this Chinese character is a vertical stroke.
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