楚 (chǔ) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 楚 (chǔ) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 楚 (chǔ) means "clear / neat". It is an HSK Level 2 character, with 13 strokes and the radical 木.

Q: How do you write 楚 stroke by stroke?

楚 has 13 strokes. The radical is 木. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 楚 and 桫?

楚 (chǔ) and 桫 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 楚?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 木. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 楚?

Common words containing 楚 include: 清楚 (qīng chǔ) — clear; to understand; 苦楚 (kǔ chǔ) — Suffering / misery; 楚楚动人 (chǔ chǔ dòng rén) — lovely and affecting / charming.

How to Write 楚

The character 楚 (chǔ) is written with 13 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 木 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

楚 is pronounced chǔ in Mandarin Chinese. It means clear / neat.

As an HSK Level 2 character, 楚 is among the first characters beginners learn.

Common Words with 楚

清楚 qīng chǔ

clear; to understand

苦楚 kǔ chǔ

Suffering / misery

楚楚动人 chǔ chǔ dòng rén

lovely and affecting / charming

Example Sentences

你听清楚了吗？

nǐ tīng qīng chǔ le ma

Did you hear clearly?

他心里有很多苦楚。

tā xīn lǐ yǒu hěn duō kǔ chǔ

He has a lot of suffering in his heart.

她长得楚楚动人。

tā zhǎng dé chǔ chǔ dòng rén

She looks delicate and charming.

Similar Characters

桫 suō

桲 po

桴 fú

Practice Writing 楚 (chǔ)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 楚 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 楚

What does 楚 (chǔ) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 楚 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 楚 and 桫?

What mistakes do learners make writing 楚?

What common words use 楚?

How to Write 楚 (chǔ)