Kanji Kaisen

漢字Kanji · in Tools & Weapons

珠: pearl, gem

Also: jewel

JLPT N110 strokesSecondary schoolYour ink: 白 Not met

王 carries the meaning · 朱 gives the sound

10 strokes

One reading, and the words that use it

シュshu · on'yomi · in compounds

  • 真珠しんじゅpearl
  • 珠算しゅざんcalculation on an abacus
  • 珠玉しゅぎょくjewel; gem

Special readingsThese words are read as a whole, not from the readings above.

  • 数珠じゅずrosary; string of prayer beads

Also read たま, with no example words in our sources. Words: JMdict, EDRDG, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Learn it 4 steps
Print sheet Present
成り立ち

Where it comes from

Origin · sourced

Phono-semantic compound (形聲)玉 jade, as 𤣩 (meaning) + 朱 (sound)

Source: Wiktionary, 珠 (rev. 92678570), CC BY-SA 4.0

Memory story · made up to help you remember

“Jewel (王) + vermillion/red. Originally referred to a precious "pearl" or "gem" that had a vibrant, beautiful color and perfect round shape.”
From the 玉 jewelry story
繋がり
Ink shades, lightest to darkest: 白 Not met, 淡 Met, 中 Learning, 濃 Familiar, 印 Mastered
王

Also built on jewelry (王)

All 35
朱

Also built on vermilion (朱)

珠 takes the 朱 family's reading, シュ (shu).

Also read シュ

27 kanji share this on'yomiAll 27

Easy to confuse

The difference, side by side
珠 pearl · 王
vs株 stocks · 木
珠 has 王 where 株 has 木.
In ChineseSame character in simplified and traditional · zhū

Same form: 珠 is written the same way in mainland China (simplified) and in Taiwan and Hong Kong (traditional).

Simplified
珠 mainland China, Singapore
Traditional
珠 Taiwan, Hong Kong

Pinyin zhū most common reading

Forms and pinyin: Unicode Unihan database (Unicode License v3). Pinyin lists the most common reading, not every reading.

One click tells us. No sign-up.