矩 meaning and stroke order
Carpenter's square, ruler, rule
How to write 矩, stroke by stroke
9 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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- 9
Meaning of 矩
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- carpenter's square
- rule
- regulation
- pattern
- to carve
- variant of 矩[ju3]
How 矩 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Arrow.
矢 gives the meaning and 巨 hints at the sound.
Radical: 矢 (arrow), shared by 11 characters on this site.
How to remember 矩
矩 (jǔ) is a pictophonetic character: 矢 (shǐ, arrow) on the left gives the meaning, and 巨 (jù) on the right gives the sound. Picture a straight arrow laid against a tool for measuring right angles, a carpenter's square that keeps everything straight and by the rules.
矩 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It mostly appears in 规矩 (guīju, rules, proper behavior) and in the math term 矩阵 (jǔzhèn, matrix). Example: 这孩子很守规矩。(Zhè háizi hěn shǒu guīju.) This child is very well behaved.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 矩 (jǔ) with 距 (jù, distance), which has the same 巨 part but a foot radical 足 on the left and a fourth tone. Also note that in 规矩 the 矩 is usually read in the neutral tone, guīju, not guījǔ.
Common words with 矩
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
矩 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 矩
Learning 矩 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 矩
How many strokes are in 矩?
矩 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 矩 mean?
矩 (jǔ) means carpenter's square, ruler, rule. A common word with it is 规矩 (guīju), meaning "lit. compass and set square; fig. established standard".
How do you pronounce 矩?
矩 is pronounced jǔ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 矩?
The radical of 矩 is 矢, which carries the idea of "arrow". Dictionaries list 矩 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 矩?
The traditional form of 矩 is 榘. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 矩 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 矩 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 矩 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 规 and 矩 in 规矩?
Originally 规 (guī) was a compass for drawing circles and 矩 (jǔ) was a square for drawing right angles. Together they came to mean standards or rules of proper conduct.
Is 循规蹈矩 a compliment or a criticism?
It can be either, depending on context. It may praise someone for being disciplined, but it often hints that the person follows rules too rigidly and lacks flexibility.