朱 (zhū) - Vermilion, cinnabar red & a surname

朱Tone 1

zhū ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 木

志

朱 · zhū

Vermilion, cinnabar red;

a surname;

also used in ancient texts to refer to the color red.

Vermilion, cinnabar reda surnamealso used in ancient texts to refer to

Usage highlights

Vermilion gateCinnabarSurname ZhuZhu familyVermilion penZhu Yuanzhang

Synonyms

  • 红— red (general term)
  • 赤— red (crimson)

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The vermilion gate (朱门) symbolizes aristocratic families.
  • She has the surname Zhu (朱).
  • Cinnabar (朱砂) is used in traditional Chinese medicine.
  • The Zhu family (朱家) has a long history.

Collocations

  • Vermilion gate(朱门)
  • Cinnabar(朱砂)
  • Surname Zhu(朱)
  • Zhu family(朱家)
  • Vermilion pen(朱笔)
  • Zhu Yuanzhang(朱元璋)

Idioms

  • Near vermilion, one gets stained red(近朱者赤)
  • Vermilion gates and wine smelling of meat(朱门酒肉臭)
  • Vermilion lips and white teeth(朱唇皓齿)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with nobility and wealth, as vermilion was an expensive pigment.
  • The surname Zhu is one of the most common surnames in China, with imperial connections through the Ming dynasty.
  • In Chinese cosmology, the Vermilion Bird (朱雀) is one of the Four Symbols, representing the south and summer.

FAQ