踌 meaning and stroke order
To falter, to hesitate; smug, self-satisfied
How to write 踌, stroke by stroke
14 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
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
Meaning of 踌
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- used in 躊躇|踌躇[chou2 chu2]
How 踌 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Foot.
足 gives the meaning and 寿 hints at the sound.
Radical: 足 (foot), shared by 119 characters on this site.
How to remember 踌
The foot radical 足 on the left shows feet that stop and shuffle in place, and 寿 (shòu) on the right gives the sound. Picture an old person's feet pausing before each step, unsure whether to go on.
踌 almost never appears alone. It is used in 踌躇 (chóuchú), meaning to hesitate, and in the set phrase 踌躇满志 (chóuchú mǎnzhì), meaning pleased with oneself or full of confidence. Example: 他踌躇了一下才开口。(Tā chóuchú le yíxià cái kāikǒu.) He hesitated for a moment before speaking.
Common mistake: Learners often read 踌 as shòu because of the 寿 component, but the correct reading is chóu with a second tone. Also, do not mix it up with 筹 (chóu, to plan), which has the same sound and phonetic part but a bamboo radical on top.
Questions about 踌
How many strokes are in 踌?
踌 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 踌 mean?
踌 (chóu) means to falter, to hesitate; smug, self-satisfied.
How do you pronounce 踌?
踌 is pronounced chóu, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 踌?
The radical of 踌 is 足, which carries the idea of "foot". Dictionaries list 踌 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 踌?
The traditional form of 踌 is 躊. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 踌 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
How can 踌躇 mean both hesitating and smug?
On its own, 踌躇 usually means to hesitate or waver. The smug, self-satisfied sense comes mainly from the idiom 踌躇满志, where it describes someone pleased with what they have achieved.
Is 踌躇 formal or everyday Chinese?
It is fairly literary and is common in writing, news, and novels. In casual speech people more often say 犹豫 (yóuyù) for hesitate.