Chinese character · HSK 1
休 (xiū) — “to rest”
An ideographic compound consisting of a person (亻) leaning against a tree (木).
How to remember 休
A person leans against a tree to rest.
Inside the character
- 亻 (person) — meaning component. Often marks a person, human action, or body posture.
- 木 (tree / wood) — meaning component. Often contributes tree, wood, plant, or upright natural form.
Where 休 comes from
A classic associative compound (会意) created by combining 'person' and 'tree' to depict a common resting scenario.



Words that use 休
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 休息 | xiū xi | rest / to rest | HSK 1 |
| 休假 | xiū jià | to go on vacation / to have a holiday | HSK 2 |
| 退休 | tuì xiū | to retire (from the workforce) / to go into retirement | HSK 3 |
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More characters: 伞 (sǎn, umbrella) · 供 (gòng / gōng, to offer / to provide) · 具 (jù, tool / device) — or browse the full character library.