Chinese character · HSK 5
寿 (shòu) — “longevity / long life”
The simplified character visually resembles an ancient sage: the top horizontal lines are his forehead wrinkles, the sweeping diagonal is his long beard, and the bottom '寸' represents his hand holding a walking cane.
How to remember 寿
Three wrinkles of wisdom, a long sweeping beard, and a hand (寸) holding a cane form the picture of longevity (寿).
Inside the character
- 寸 (hand / measure) — meaning component. A compact form often tied to hand action, control, or simplification.
- 丰 (abundant / plentiful) — meaning component.
Where 寿 comes from
The traditional form '壽' combined '老' (old) and a complex phonetic element. The simplified '寿' elegantly condenses this into an abstract form that visually resembles a bearded elder measuring (寸) his long life.
Words that use 寿
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 寿司 | shòu sī | sushi | HSK 5 |
| 长寿 | Cháng shòu | Changshou suburban district of Chongqing municipality / formerly in Sichuan | HSK 5 |
| 寿命 | shòu mìng | life span / life expectancy | HSK 7 |
Learn 寿 the visual way. InkSeal pairs every HSK 1–6 character
with an illustration like this one, plus component breakdowns, etymology, and
spaced review. The first 100 characters are free.
More characters: 屏 (píng, screen / folding screen) · 春 (chūn, spring) · 渡 (dù, to cross (a river / sea)) — or browse the full character library.