Definitions

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

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

铢, the simplified form of 銖, is a phono-semantic compound. Its left component, the metal radical 钅, associates it with metallurgy, currency, or weights, while the right component 朱 provides its phonetic value. Originally, it served as an ancient Chinese unit of weight equal to one twenty-fourth of a tael (liang), a very small measure used for precious metals or precise calculations. Due to this association with a minute fraction, its meaning extended to denote trifling amounts or insignificant matters, frequently appearing in compounds and idioms to emphasize smallness or exactness.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 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)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

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.

这本书详细介绍了的历史。

Zhè běn shū xiángxì jièshào le zhū de lìshǐ.

This book details the history of zhū.

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

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

When studying ancient economy, scholars mention zhū.

如果你了解的价值,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.