Definitions

chǔ (adjective) clear; distinct; orderly
chǔ (noun) (literary) pain; suffering

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "bush". The meaning later shifted to "distinct" and "clear".

About

The character 楚 is a phono-semantic compound with the forest radical 林 on top as the semantic component and 疋 at the bottom as the phonetic element. Originally, it referred to a thorny shrub, the chaste tree, found in certain regions. Because its branches were used for corporal punishment, the character gained meanings related to pain or hardship. It also became the name of the State of Chu during the Zhou dynasty and later developed the abstract sense of clarity or neatness, as in the modern word 清楚.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Western Zhou (~800 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Early Warring States (~400 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请你说清

Qǐng nǐ shuō qīngchu.

Please speak clearly.

他的话很清

Tā de huà hěn qīngchu.

His words are very clear.

我清记得那天。

Wǒ qīngchu jìde nà tiān.

I clearly remember that day.

她喜欢看剧。

Tā xǐhuan kàn chǔjù.

She likes watching Chu opera.

国是古代的国家。

Chǔguó shì gǔdài de guójiā.

Chu was an ancient state.

他感到一阵痛

Tā gǎndào yī zhèn tòngchǔ.

He felt a wave of pain.

她的眼神很凄

Tā de yǎnshén hěn qīchǔ.

Her eyes look sorrowful.

他对这个问题的立场非常清

Tā duì zhège wèntí de lìchǎng fēicháng qīngchu.

His stance on this issue is very clear.