臼

jiù

Definitions

jiù mortar

Etymology

Pictograph of a mortar, a hollow vessel used to crush ingredients.

About

The character 臼 originated as a pictograph of a mortar, a hollow bowl-shaped vessel used to crush grain and other ingredients. The strokes sketch the mortar's hollow interior, while internal lines indicate the grinding surface or the grains being crushed. As a radical, it often contributes meanings related to grinding, pounding, or basin- and socket-shaped objects. The primary meaning is 'mortar', and by extension it can refer to anatomical sockets or molar teeth.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我的臼齿很疼。

Wǒ de jiùchǐ hěn téng.

My molar tooth hurts.

医生检查了我的臼齿。

Yīshēng jiǎnchá le wǒ de jiùchǐ.

The doctor examined my molar teeth.

他的肩膀脱臼了。

Tā de jiānbǎng tuōjiù le.

His shoulder is dislocated.

运动时小心不要脱臼。

Yùndòng shí xiǎoxīn bùyào tuōjiù.

Be careful not to dislocate when exercising.

奶奶用石臼磨米粉。

Nǎinai yòng shíjiù mó mǐfěn.

Grandma uses a stone mortar to grind rice flour.

这个臼杵是古代的工具。

Zhège jiùchǔ shì gǔdài de gōngjù.

This mortar and pestle is an ancient tool.

髋关节的臼窝很深。

Kuānguānjié de jiùwō hěn shēn.

The socket of the hip joint is deep.

脱臼的关节必须复位到臼窝中。

Tuōjiù de guānjié bìxū fùwèi dào jiùwō zhōng.

The dislocated joint must be reduced back into the socket.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 臼

臼