粗

• Pinyin: cū
• Hanzi breakdown: 粗 = 米 (rice) + 且 (phonetic component, also 'moreover')

Meaning

Thick; coarse; rough. Describes something that has a large diameter or a rough texture.

Primarily describes physical thickness (rope, tree trunks, fingers) or rough texture (fabric, skin). Opposite of 细 (thin/fine). Also used figuratively to describe careless behaviour (粗心), rough manner (粗鲁), or a loud voice (粗嗓子).

Examples

1. 这棵树的树干很粗，要两个人才能抱住。 The trunk of this tree is very thick — it takes two people to wrap their arms around it.
2. 他的声音又粗又大，整条街都能听到。 His voice is deep and loud; the whole street can hear it.
3. 这块布摸起来有点粗，不太适合做衣服。 This fabric feels a bit rough and isn't very suitable for making clothes.

Usage Guide

Context: description, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这根绳子太粗了，穿不过这个洞。(This rope is too thick to pass through this hole.)
• 他长得很壮，胳膊特别粗。(He has a sturdy build with very thick arms.)

Don't Say

• 用粗来形容人的体重 (Don't use 粗 to describe someone's overall weight — it describes diameter/thickness; use 胖 for heavy/fat)

Origin & History

Composed of 米 (rice/grain) and 且 (phonetic). Originally described unhusked or unrefined grain, later extended to mean coarse or rough in general.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal