绣 meaning and stroke order
To embroider; embroidery
How to write 绣, stroke by stroke
10 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 绣
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to embroider; embroidery
- variant of 繡|绣[xiu4]
How 绣 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Silk.
纟 gives the meaning and 秀 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 绣
The silk radical 纟 shows thread, and 秀 (xiù) means beautiful or elegant and also gives the sound. Beautiful work done with silk thread is embroidery, 绣 (xiù).
绣 is used as a verb meaning to embroider and as a noun for embroidered work, most often in the word 刺绣 (cìxiù). Example: 她在枕头上绣了一朵花。 (Tā zài zhěntou shang xiù le yì duǒ huā.) She embroidered a flower on the pillow.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 绣 (xiù, embroider) with 锈 (xiù, rust), which has the metal radical 钅 instead of the silk radical 纟. Both are read xiù in the fourth tone, so the left side is the only clue to the meaning.
Common words with 绣
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 刺绣 | cìxiù | to embroider; embroidery | HSK 7-9 |
绣 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 绣
How many strokes are in 绣?
绣 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 绣 mean?
绣 (xiù) means to embroider; embroidery. A common word with it is 刺绣 (cìxiù), meaning "to embroider; embroidery".
How do you pronounce 绣?
绣 is pronounced xiù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 绣?
The radical of 绣 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 绣 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 绣?
The traditional form of 绣 is 綉 and 繡. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 绣 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 绣 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 绣 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 绣 and 刺绣?
绣 alone works as a verb, as in 绣花 (xiùhuā, to embroider flowers). 刺绣 (cìxiù) is more formal and is often used as a noun for the craft of embroidery itself.
Does 绣 appear in any common expressions?
Yes. 锦绣 (jǐnxiù) means splendid and beautiful, as in 锦绣河山 (jǐnxiù héshān), a beautiful land. 绣花枕头 (xiùhuā zhěntou) describes someone who looks good but has nothing inside.