臼
The 臼 radical
Mortar
Memory hook
A hollow stone mortar, the marks inside being the grain being pounded. Seen in 舅 (uncle), 舀 (to ladle out).
The 臼 radical (read jiù) means mortar. The HSK 3.0 data contains 2 characters and 2 words built on it — learning them together is far faster than one character at a time.
Practise the 臼 radical
Practise the 2 characters carrying the 臼 radical in correct stroke order: watch, trace, then write from memory.
Characters with the 臼 radical
2 charactersHSK 7-9· 2 characters
HSK 7-9舅
uncle (mother's brother)
舆
cart, vehicle
Vocabulary with the 臼 radical
2 wordsWords containing at least one character with the 臼 radical, ordered by HSK level.
uncle (mother's younger brother)
public opinion
At least 4 words are needed to practise.
Why learn vocabulary by the 臼 radical?
The 臼 radical hints at the meaning mortar. When you meet an unfamiliar character carrying it, you already know part of its meaning before reaching for a dictionary — which is why learners who know their radicals move faster.
How to study: read the memory hook, skim the 2 characters to spot the pattern, then drill the 2 words with flashcards. Spaced repetition brings each word back exactly when you need it.