丑 meaning and stroke order
Shameful; ugly; disgraceful
How to write 丑, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 丑
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- clown
- 2nd earthly branch: 1-3 a.m., 12th solar month (6th January to 3rd February), year of the Ox
- ancient Chinese compass point: 30°
- shameful
- ugly
- disgraceful
How 丑 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 一 (one), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 丑
丑 is built from 刀 (knife) overlapping 二 (two). Picture a knife slashing across two lines, leaving a messy, ugly mark.
丑 (chǒu) is the everyday word for ugly, and it also appears in words about shame and scandal like 丑闻 (chǒuwén). It is also the second earthly branch, linked to the Ox and the hours 1 to 3 a.m. Example: 这件衣服太丑了。(Zhè jiàn yīfu tài chǒu le.) This piece of clothing is too ugly.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 丑 (chǒu) with 五 (wǔ, five) or 王 (wáng) because they share horizontal strokes. In 丑, the middle vertical stroke bends and the shape is open on the left, unlike 五.
Common words with 丑
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
丑 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 丑
Learning 丑 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 丑
How many strokes are in 丑?
丑 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 丑 mean?
丑 (chǒu) means shameful; ugly; disgraceful. A common word with it is 小丑 (xiǎochǒu), meaning "clown".
How do you pronounce 丑?
丑 is pronounced chǒu, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 丑?
The radical of 丑 is 一, which carries the idea of "one". Dictionaries list 丑 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 丑?
The traditional form of 丑 is 醜. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 丑 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 丑 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 丑 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
Is it rude to call someone 丑 in Chinese?
Yes, saying someone is 丑 directly is quite blunt and can hurt. People often soften it with phrases like 不太好看 (bú tài hǎokàn), not very good-looking. Among close friends, 丑 can be used jokingly.
What does 丑 mean in Chinese opera?
In Peking opera, 丑 is the clown role type, usually recognized by white face paint around the nose. This role is where the meaning in 小丑 (xiǎochǒu), clown, connects.