How to Write 促 (cù) — Meaning “To urge / To promote / Urgent”

Q: Can you give me a creative mnemonic to remember 促?

Imagine a person (亻) kicking a soccer ball with their foot (足) to urge it forward. The kick is urgent and promotes the ball to move, so the character means 'to urge' or 'to promote'.

Q: What should I watch out for when writing 促?

The right side 足 has a narrow top and a wider bottom; make sure the final stroke is a horizontal line, not an extra curve. Also, the left 亻 should be tall and narrow, leaving enough space for the 足 component.

Q: How is 促 different from 伯 and 估?

伯 (bó) means 'uncle' or 'eldest' and has a 白 component on the right, while 估 (gū) means 'to estimate' with a 古 component. In contrast, 促 uses 足 on the right and carries meanings of urging or urgency, not family relations or estimation.

Q: In what situations would I use 促 in modern Chinese?

You often see 促 in formal or written contexts, such as 促进 (promote) in business or government reports, and 督促 (urge) when someone pushes others to finish tasks. The word 仓促 describes a rushed action, like packing hastily before a trip.

Q: What common words use 促?

Common words containing 促 include: 促进 (cù jìn) — To promote / To advance / To accelerate; 督促 (dū cù) — To urge.; 仓促 (cāng cù) — Hurried; hasty..

cù HSK Level 4 9 strokes Radical: 亻

促 (cù) means "To urge / To promote / Urgent" in Chinese. It has 9 strokes with the radical 亻, and is HSK Level 4.

Rated 3.7/5 in difficulty (challenging).

Harder than 38% of HSK Level 4 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 促进 (cù jìn), 督促 (dū cù), 仓促 (cāng cù).

Due to its 9 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 促 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 促 (cù)

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

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How to Write 促

The character 促 (cù) is written with 9 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 亻 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.

What Does cù (促) Mean in Chinese?

促 means To urge / To promote / Urgent.

As an HSK Level 4 character, 促 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	促
Pinyin	cù (cu)
Meaning	To urge / To promote / Urgent
Strokes	9
Radical	亻
HSK Level	4
Difficulty	3.7/5

Origin of 促

促 is a compound character combining the radical 亻 (person) with 足 (foot), suggesting someone stepping forward to hurry another. The visual of a person with an active foot conveys the sense of urging or promoting action, as in pressing someone to move quickly. Historically, this aligns with the idea of a closer, more urgent proximity, reflected in meanings like 'urgent' or 'to hasten.'

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a person (亻) stepping on your foot (足) to urge you to hurry up.

Common Words with 促

促进 cù jìn

To promote / To advance / To accelerate

督促 dū cù

To urge.

仓促 cāng cù

Hurried; hasty.

Example Sentences

运动促进身体健康。

yùn dòng cù jìn shēn tǐ jiàn kāng

Exercise promotes physical health.

老师督促学生学习。

lǎo shī dū cù xué shēng xué xí

The teacher urges the students to study.

他走得很仓促。

tā zǒu dé hěn cāng cù

He left in a great hurry.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
促 (current)	cù	9	亻
伯	bó	7	亻
估	gū / gù	7	亻
伲	nì	7	亻

Practice Writing 促 (cù)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 促

What are the components of 促 and how do they relate to its meaning?

The left side is 亻, the person radical, and the right side is 足 (zú, foot). Together, they suggest a person using their feet to move quickly, which connects to ideas of urging or promoting someone to act faster.

Can you give me a creative mnemonic to remember 促?

What should I watch out for when writing 促?

How is 促 different from 伯 and 估?

In what situations would I use 促 in modern Chinese?

What common words use 促?

How to Write 促 (cù) — Meaning “To urge / To promote / Urgent”

Practice Writing 促 (cù)

How to Write 促

What Does cù (促) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 促

Common Words with 促

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 促 (cù)

Frequently Asked Questions about 促

More HSK Level 4 Characters

Characters with Radical 亻

Other 9-Stroke Characters