Chinese Character Wiki
肘

zhǒu

elbow

Originally written similar to 九, which depicts an elbow. Later the ⺼ (meat, flesh) component was added.

Components
⺼ meaning component

⺼  Meaning component

ròu

  

meat, flesh

寸 iconic component

寸  Iconic component

cùn

  

(hand), inch

Originally depicted a bent arm, similar to 九. Later reanalyzed as 寸, which depicts a hand.

Evolution

肘 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
肘 Seal script Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal script

Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
肘 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
肘 Clerical script Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Clerical script

Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
肘 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

肘  

zhǒu

the elbow; help a person shoulder a load; elbow; pork shoulder

Most common words with 肘
Freq.
Word
Meaning

肘

elbow

手肘

elbow

捉襟见肘

strapped for cash

胳膊肘

elbow

掣肘

to impede

Historical pronunciation

Old Chinese

Middle Chinese

Pinyin

Gloss

*t-[k]<r>uʔ

trjuwX

zhǒu

elbow


Statistics

Not found in HSK word list

Appears in 2.9313% of movies

2813th most common character in movies

3010th most common character in books

Miscellaneous

Strokes

7

Unicode

U+8098

Shuowen

“肘，臂節也。从肉，从寸。寸，手寸口也。”


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