How to Write 督 (dū) — Meaning “To supervise.”

Q: Can you give a simple memory trick to remember 督?

Imagine an uncle (叔) being watched closely by an eye (目) – he needs supervision because he is up to mischief. This picture of "an eye on uncle" helps you recall the meaning "to supervise."

Q: What should I watch for when writing 督?

The top part 叔 should be written wide enough, while the bottom 目 should be narrower and centered under it. A common mistake is making the 目 too tall or misaligning it to the left; keep the character balanced vertically.

Q: In what situations is 督 used in modern Chinese?

督 appears in formal or official contexts, like 监督 (jiān dū, to supervise) for quality control, 督促 (dū cù, to urge) for pushing someone to act, and 总督 (zǒng dū, governor-general) for a high-ranking official. It often carries a sense of authority and oversight.

Q: What common words use 督?

Common words containing 督 include: 监督 (jiān dū) — to supervise / supervision; 督促 (dū cù) — To urge.; 总督 (zǒng dū) — Governor-general.

dū HSK Level 6 13 strokes Radical: 目

督 (dū) means "To supervise." in Chinese. It has 13 strokes with the radical 目, and is HSK Level 6.

Rated 4.2/5 in difficulty (advanced).

Harder than 80% of HSK Level 6 characters.

Appears in 3+ common words including 监督 (jiān dū), 督促 (dū cù), 总督 (zǒng dū).

Due to its 13 strokes, Hanzi Writer's error detection shows 督 requires focused practice — most learners need 10+ attempts for consistent accuracy.

Practice Writing 督 (dū)

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How to Write 督

The character 督 (dū) is written with 13 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 目 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 dū (督) Mean in Chinese?

督 means To supervise..

As an HSK Level 6 character, 督 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	督
Pinyin	dū (du)
Meaning	To supervise.
Strokes	13
Radical	目
HSK Level	6
Difficulty	4.2/5

Origin of 督

督 is a phono-semantic compound: the radical 目 (eye) represents watching or overseeing, and 叔 (shū) provides the pronunciation. Together, the character conveys the idea of using one's eye to inspect or supervise, as in a supervisor keeping a close watch.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a supervisor's big eye (目) fixed on Uncle (叔) to make sure he doesn't slack off.

Common Words with 督

监督 jiān dū

to supervise / supervision

督促 dū cù

To urge.

总督 zǒng dū

Governor-general

Example Sentences

父母监督我学习。

fù mǔ jiān dū wǒ xué xí

My parents supervise my studies.

老师督促我们。

lǎo shī dū cù wǒ men

The teacher urges us.

他是这里的总督。

tā shì zhè lǐ de zǒng dū

He is the governor-general here.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
督 (current)	dū	13	目
眦	zì	11	目
眭	suī	11	目
眯	mī	11	目

Practice Writing 督 (dū)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 督

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

督 is composed of the top part 叔 (shū, meaning uncle) and the bottom part 目 (mù, meaning eye). The eye radical suggests watching, and the character as a whole means to supervise or oversee. The 叔 part may hint at the sound, but the eye is the key semantic clue.

Can you give a simple memory trick to remember 督?

What should I watch for when writing 督?

How is 督 different from the similar characters 眦 and 眭?

In what situations is 督 used in modern Chinese?

What common words use 督?

How to Write 督 (dū) — Meaning “To supervise.”

Practice Writing 督 (dū)

How to Write 督

What Does dū (督) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 督

Common Words with 督

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 督 (dū)

Frequently Asked Questions about 督

More HSK Level 6 Characters

Characters with Radical 目

Other 13-Stroke Characters