躇 meaning and stroke order
To hesitate, to falter; undecided
How to write 躇, stroke by stroke
18 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 躇
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- used in 躊躇|踌躇[chou2 chu2]
How 躇 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Foot.
足 gives the meaning and 著 hints at the sound.
Radical: 足 (foot), shared by 119 characters on this site.
How to remember 躇
The foot 足 on the left shows someone's feet stopping in place, and 著 on the right gives the sound. Picture a person whose feet won't move forward because they can't decide.
躇 (chú) almost never appears alone. It is used in the word 踌躇 (chóuchú), meaning to hesitate or be undecided, and in the idiom 踌躇满志 (chóuchú mǎn zhì), meaning to be smug and self-satisfied. 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 mix up 躇 (chú) with 著 (zhù) or 着 (zhe) because the right side looks the same, but 躇 always has the foot radical 足 on the left. In 踌躇 the second syllable is also commonly misread as chóu like the first. It is chú.
Questions about 躇
How many strokes are in 躇?
躇 is written with 18 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 躇 mean?
躇 (chú) means to hesitate, to falter; undecided.
How do you pronounce 躇?
躇 is pronounced chú, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 躇?
The radical of 躇 is 足, which carries the idea of "foot". Dictionaries list 躇 under this radical.
How is 踌躇 different from 犹豫?
Both mean to hesitate. 犹豫 (yóuyù) is the everyday word you will hear in conversation. 踌躇 sounds more literary and is more common in writing.
Does 踌躇满志 mean someone is hesitant?
No. Despite containing 踌躇, the idiom 踌躇满志 describes someone who is very pleased with themselves and full of confidence. Here the meaning is not hesitation at all.