铢

銖

zhū

朱 + 钅

Definitions

zhū twenty-fourth part of a tael (2 or 3 grams)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 朱 represents the sound. Simplified form of 銖.

Semantic: 钅 Phonetic: 朱

About

铢 is the simplified form of the traditional character 銖. It is a phono-semantic compound: the metal radical 钅 on the left indicates its association with metal, currency, and weights, while the phonetic component 朱 on the right gives the sound. Originally, 铢 was a standard ancient Chinese unit of weight, one twenty-fourth of a tael (liang), a very small measure used for weighing precious metals and performing precise calculations. Because it represented such a tiny fraction, the meaning broadened to denote very small amounts, trifling matters, or insignificant quantities. Today it frequently appears in numerous compound words and idioms that emphasize minuteness or the exactness of a measurement.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

铢是古代的重量单位。

Zhū shì gǔdài de zhòngliàng dānwèi.

Zhū is an ancient unit of weight.

古代中国使用铢作为货币单位。

Gǔdài Zhōngguó shǐyòng zhū zuòwéi huòbì dānwèi.

Ancient China used zhū as a currency unit.

这本书详细介绍了铢的历史。

Zhè běn shū xiángxì jièshào le zhū de lìshǐ.

This book details the history of zhū.

铢与两都是古代重量单位。

Zhū yǔ liǎng dōu shì gǔdài zhòngliàng dānwèi.

Zhū and liang are both ancient units of weight.

虽然铢现在已不常用，但它在历史上很重要。

Suīrán zhū xiànzài yǐ bù cháng yòng, dàn tā zài lìshǐ shàng hěn zhòngyào.

Although zhū is not commonly used now, it was important in history.

在研究古代经济时，学者们会提到铢。

Zài yánjiū gǔdài jīngjì shí, xuézhě men huì tí dào zhū.

When studying ancient economy, scholars mention zhū.

如果你了解铢的价值，就能更好地理解古代文献。

Rúguǒ nǐ liǎojiě zhū de jiàzhí, jiù néng gèng hǎo de lǐjiě gǔdài wénxiàn.

If you understand the value of zhū, you can better understand ancient documents.

尽管铢这个单位微小，却在古代贸易中扮演了关键角色。

Jǐnguǎn zhū zhège dānwèi wēixiǎo, què zài gǔdài màoyì zhōng bànyǎn le guānjiàn juésè.

Although the unit zhū is tiny, it played a key role in ancient trade.

Related Characters

Component: 朱

Component: 钅

铢