甦 meaning and stroke order
Reborn; to resuscitate, to revive
How to write 甦, stroke by stroke
12 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 甦
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- variant of 蘇|苏[su1]
- to revive
How 甦 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To grant an additional 更 life 生.
Radical: 生 (life), shared by 6 characters on this site.
How to remember 甦
甦 is built from 更 (gèng, again, more) wrapped around 生 (shēng, life). Picture someone being given life again, which is exactly what reviving means.
甦 is a variant of 苏 (sū) in the sense of reviving, so in mainland simplified Chinese you will almost always see 苏 instead, as in 复苏 (fùsū) and 苏醒 (sūxǐng). 甦 still appears in Taiwan, Hong Kong, and in names or titles where a reborn feeling is wanted. Example: 经济开始复苏。(Jīngjì kāishǐ fùsū.) The economy is starting to recover.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes read 甦 as gèng or shēng because they recognize the parts, but the whole character is read sū. Also do not use 甦 for the other meanings of 苏, such as the surname 苏 or 苏州 (Sūzhōu). It only covers the revive sense.
Common words with 甦
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
Questions about 甦
How many strokes are in 甦?
甦 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 甦 mean?
甦 (sū) means reborn; to resuscitate, to revive. A common word with it is 复苏 (fùsū), meaning "to recover (health, economic); to resuscitate".
How do you pronounce 甦?
甦 is pronounced sū, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 甦?
The radical of 甦 is 生, which carries the idea of "life". Dictionaries list 甦 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 甦?
甦 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 苏, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Should I write 甦 or 苏 for revive?
In simplified Chinese, write 苏, as in 苏醒 and 复苏. In traditional texts you may see 甦醒 or 復甦, and both forms are understood there.
Can 甦 be used on its own as a verb?
Rarely. It mostly appears inside words like 甦醒 or 復甦, or in literary phrases. In everyday speech people say 醒过来 (xǐng guòlái) or 复苏 instead.