Chinese Character: 舅
1. Character Basics
Radical: 臼/jiù (表示舂捣的器具)
Stroke Count: 13
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jiù (fourth tone)
3. Meaning
uncle (mother's brother), husband's brother (older), wife's brother
4. Common Words
- 舅舅 (jiù jiu) - mother's brother
- 舅妈 (jiù mā) - uncle's wife (mother's brother's wife)
- 舅父 (jiù fù) - maternal uncle
- 舅母 (jiù mǔ) - uncle's wife
- 舅子 (jiù zi) - wife's brother
- 舅公 (jiù gōng) - great uncle (grandparent's brother)
5. Grammar & Usage
As a noun: Always used to refer to family relations
Common structure: Add a suffix like 舅舅 (repeated) for affection
Compound words: Often combined with other kinship terms like 舅妈, 舅父
Formality: 舅父 is more formal than 舅舅
In daily speech: Usually preceded by a modifier to specify which uncle
6. Cultural Background
In Chinese culture, maternal uncles have traditionally held an important position in the family hierarchy
The character reflects the significance of extended family relationships in Chinese society
During festivals like Spring Festival, it's customary to visit maternal uncles
Traditional Chinese kinship terminology is very specific, distinguishing between different types of uncles
The character 舅 is part of many idioms related to family and kinship
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 我要去拜访我的舅舅。
Pinyin: Wǒ yào qù bàifǎng wǒ de jiù jiu.
Translation: I'm going to visit my uncle (mother's brother).
8. Memory Tips
The character 舅 consists of 臼 (jiù - mortar) and 男 (nán - man)
Think of a man who works with a mortar (臼), which could be associated with traditional family roles
The character has 13 strokes
Notice that 舅 is similar in pronunciation to 旧 (jiù), 救 (jiù), and 就 (jiù), but has a different meaning
Remember the common term 舅舅 (jiù jiu) which is how children usually address their maternal uncle