Chinese character · HSK 5
竹 (zhú) — “bamboo”
The character is a direct pictogram depicting two stalks of bamboo with drooping leaves.
How to remember 竹
Two graceful bamboo stalks standing side by side, their leaves drooping perfectly.
Inside the character
- 竹 (bamboo) — meaning component. Two stalks of bamboo — often marks bamboo, slats, or anything written on bamboo.
Where 竹 comes from
An ancient oracle bone pictogram that has remained remarkably consistent over millennia, originally drawing two bamboo stems with downward-pointing leaves to distinguish them from grass.
Words that use 竹
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 竹篮 | zhú lán | bamboo basket | HSK 2 |
| 竹林 | zhú lín | bamboo forest | HSK 4 |
| 竹子 | zhú zi | bamboo | HSK 5 |
Learn 竹 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: 策 (cè, strategy / plan) · 算 (suàn, to calculate / to compute) · 系 (xì / jì, system / to connect) — or browse the full character library.