臼 meaning and stroke order
Mortar; bone joint socket
How to write 臼, stroke by stroke
6 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
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 臼
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- mortar
How 臼 is built
Pictographic character. A mortar used to grind out powders.
How to remember 臼
臼 (jiù) is a picture of a mortar seen from the side: a deep bowl with ridges inside where grain or herbs get ground into powder. Think of the hollow shape as a cup that holds something, like a joint socket holding a bone.
On its own 臼 is rare in everyday speech, but it shows up in words about grinding tools and joints. The most common word is 脱臼 (tuōjiù), a joint coming out of its socket. Example: 他的肩膀脱臼了。(Tā de jiānbǎng tuōjiù le.) His shoulder got dislocated.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 臼 with 白 (bái, white) or 日 (rì, sun), but 臼 has an open top and short strokes on both inner sides. Also watch the tone: it is fourth tone jiù, the same sound as 旧 (jiù, old), so do not mix them up in writing.
Common words with 臼
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 脱臼 | tuōjiù | dislocation (of a joint) |
Characters that contain 臼
Learning 臼 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 臼
How many strokes are in 臼?
臼 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 臼 mean?
臼 (jiù) means mortar; bone joint socket. A common word with it is 脱臼 (tuōjiù), meaning "dislocation (of a joint)".
How do you pronounce 臼?
臼 is pronounced jiù, in the fourth tone (falling).
How do you say mortar and pestle in Chinese?
A common way is 臼和杵 (jiù hé chǔ), where 杵 is the pestle. In kitchens people also say 研钵 (yánbō) for a small grinding bowl.
Where else do I see 臼 as a part of other characters?
It appears as a component in characters like 舅 (jiù, maternal uncle) and 舀 (yǎo, to scoop). In 舅 it also helps give the sound jiù.