竖

竪/豎

shù

〢 + 又 + 立

HSK 2.0Level 6

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

shù (adjective) vertical; upright

shù (verb) to erect; to stand up

shù (noun) vertical stroke (in Chinese characters)

Etymology

A person 又 standing 立 as straight as a knife 刂

About

The character 竖, which simplifies the traditional form 豎, primarily functions as an adjective or verb related to vertical orientation. Its simplified form incorporates the semantic radical 立 (meaning "to stand") at the bottom, reinforcing the core idea of uprightness. The upper part derives from the top of 坚, providing its phonetic element. The main meaning centers on verticality, describing something upright or perpendicular, or the act of setting something straight. Historically, the traditional character also served as a noun for a young servant or attendant.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

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

他把大拇指竖起来了。

Tā bǎ dàmǔzhǐ shù qǐlái le.

He gave a thumbs up.

竖线可以用来分割段落。

Shùxiàn kěyǐ yòng lái fēngé duànluò.

Vertical lines can be used to separate paragraphs.

请把这块木板竖着放。

Qǐng bǎ zhè kuài mùbǎn shùzhe fàng.

Please place this wooden board vertically.

那座古老的石碑依然竖立在广场中央。

Nà zuò gǔlǎo de shíbēi yīrán shùlì zài guǎngchǎng zhōngyāng.

That ancient stone tablet still stands upright in the center of the square.

她擅长弹奏竖琴，声音非常优美。

Tā shàncháng tánzòu shùqín, shēngyīn fēicháng yōuměi.

She is skilled at playing the harp, and the sound is very beautiful.

这个软件可以让你把手机屏幕竖屏锁定。

Zhège ruǎnjiàn kěyǐ ràng nǐ bǎ shǒujī píngmù shùpíng suǒdìng.

This software allows you to lock your phone screen in portrait orientation.

建筑工人正在竖立新的电线杆。

Jiànzhù gōngrén zhèngzài shùlì xīn de diànxiàngān.

Construction workers are erecting new utility poles.

经过仔细辨认，他才看清石碑上竖排的繁体字。

Jīngguò zǐxì biànrèn, tā cái kàn qīng shíbēi shang shùpái de fántǐzì.

After careful scrutiny, he could finally make out the traditional Chinese characters arranged in vertical columns on the stone tablet.

Related Characters

Component: 〢

Component: 又

Component: 立

竖