鼠

shǔ

⑦ + 臼

Definitions

shǔ (noun) rat; mouse

Etymology

Pictograph of a rat.

About

A pictograph of a rat, the character 鼠 shows its head and prominent teeth with the upper component 臼, and its legs, body, and long tail with the lower strokes. It means mouse or rat and acts as a semantic radical in characters for rodents and similar small mammals. Because rats were historically seen as pests that stole food and caused damage, the character often carries negative connotations in compounds and idioms, suggesting stealth, timidity, meanness, or malicious secretiveness.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle etymology image

Oracle (~1250-1000 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 Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

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)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这只老鼠很小

Zhè zhī lǎoshǔ hěn xiǎo

This rat is very small.

鼠年是我的本命年

Shǔ nián shì wǒ de běnmìng nián

The Year of the Rat is my zodiac year.

我用鼠标控制电脑

Wǒ yòng shǔbiāo kòngzhì diànnǎo

I use a mouse to control the computer.

老鼠怕猫是天性

Lǎoshǔ pà māo shì tiānxìng

It is natural for rats to fear cats.

仓库里有很多老鼠

Cāngkù lǐ yǒu hěn duō lǎoshǔ

There are many rats in the warehouse.

鼠疫是一种传染病

Shǔyì shì yī zhǒng chuánrǎn bìng

Plague is a kind of infectious disease.

这只小鼠在迷宫里寻找奶酪

Zhè zhī xiǎo shǔ zài mígōng lǐ xúnzhǎo nǎilào

This little mouse is looking for cheese in the maze.

为了防止鼠害农民养了猫

Wèile fángzhǐ shǔhài nóngmín yǎng le māo

To prevent rat damage, the farmer raised cats.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: ⑦

Component: 臼

Example Words