(chú) — (noun) hoe; (verb) to hoe, to dig up (soil, weeds) with a hoe

Definition

锄 (chú) is a hoe and the act of hoeing — lighter than 铲 (shovel), aimed at loosening soil or weeding rather than scooping. Unlike 耕 (plowing a whole field), 锄 is small-scale garden work.

noun
hoe
verb
to hoeto dig up (soil, weeds) with a hoe
Measure word ·

Examples

  • Zhè bǎ chú hěn qīng, yòng qǐ lái hěn fāng biàn.
    This hoe is very light and convenient to use.
  • Tā měi tiān zǎo shàng dōu qù chú cǎo.
    He goes to hoe weeds every morning.
  • Tā men chú le yì zhěng tiān de dì.
    They hoed the all day long.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 鋤; 锄 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
Sound part声符shēngfú
zhùchú
Same sound today

The traditional form 鋤 pairs 金 (metal) with 助, which gives the sound; the simplified 锄 is a later shorthand.

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