Chinese Conversation · Level 20
90 words
Chinese word
粗
Pronunciation
Pinyincū
Meaning
- adjectivethick
Example
这个管子太粗了，插不进去。zhè ge guǎn zi tài cū le chā bú jìn qù
The pipe is too thick to fit in.
More examples
这把刀的刀刃很粗糙，切东西不顺手。zhè bǎ dāo de dāo rèn hěn cū cāo qiē dōng xī bú shùn shǒu
The blade of this knife is very rough, so it is hard to cut things with.
Core concept
A coarse level of detail, where physical parts are large or rough and descriptions or results remain broad rather than exact.
Common phrases
太粗了tài cū le
too thick
粗糙cū cāo
rough
粗心cū xīn
careless
Similar words
粗糙cū cāo: Coarse in texture, with a surface that feels or looks uneven.
厚hòu: Thick from one surface to the other, rather than thin.
粗鲁cū lǔ: Rude in speech or behavior, with a rough attitude.
粗心cū xīn: Not paying enough attention or taking enough care to avoid mistakes.
Definition in Chinese
表示物体表面不光滑、颗粒或纤维明显，触感或视觉上显得粗糙；也可指尺寸较大或处理不够细致。biǎo shì wù tǐ biǎo miàn bù guāng huá kē lì huò xiān wéi míng xiǎn chù gǎn huò shì jué shàng xiǎn de cū cāo yě kě zhǐ chǐ cùn jiào dà huò chú lǐ bú gòu xì zhì
Word origin
粗 (cū, "coarse") uses 米 (mǐ, "grain") + 且 (qiě, "phonetic part"), linking the character to large grains and extending that concrete image to rough surfaces, thick forms, and broad estimates.
Usage tips
- English usually separates the physical and abstract uses, so one Chinese adjective can describe material, size, and an estimate while English selects different wording from context.