绪 meaning and stroke order
Mental state; thread, clue
How to write 绪, stroke by stroke
11 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 绪
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- beginnings
- clues
- mental state
- thread
How 绪 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
纟 gives the meaning and 者 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 绪
绪 has the silk radical 纟 on the left, meaning thread, and 者 (zhě) on the right as a sound hint. Picture the loose end of a silk thread: pull it and you find where things begin, or follow the thread of your thoughts and feelings.
绪 rarely stands alone and almost always appears in compounds like 情绪 (qíngxù, mood), 思绪 (sīxù, train of thought) and 头绪 (tóuxù, main threads). Example: 他今天情绪不好。(Tā jīntiān qíngxù bù hǎo.) He is in a bad mood today.
Common mistake: Learners often write 绪 as 储 (chǔ, to store) or 诸 (zhū, various), since they share the 者 part. Remember that only 绪 has the thread radical 纟. Also note the tone: it is fourth tone xù, not xū.
Common words with 绪
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
绪 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 绪
How many strokes are in 绪?
绪 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 绪 mean?
绪 (xù) means mental state; thread, clue. A common word with it is 情绪 (qíngxù), meaning "mood; state of mind".
How do you pronounce 绪?
绪 is pronounced xù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 绪?
The radical of 绪 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 绪 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 绪?
The traditional form of 绪 is 緒. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 绪 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 绪 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 绪 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 情绪 and 心情?
Both relate to how you feel. 心情 (xīnqíng) is your general mood at a moment, while 情绪 (qíngxù) often suggests stronger or more noticeable emotions, as in 情绪激动 (very emotional). 情绪 can also mean negative feelings, as in 有情绪 (to be upset or resentful).
How do you say you cannot figure something out using 绪?
Use 摸不着头绪 (mō bu zháo tóuxù) or 没有头绪 (méiyǒu tóuxù), meaning you cannot find the main thread or where to start. For example: 这个问题我一点头绪都没有。I have no clue about this problem.