除 chú remove
remove; except; to divide
How to remember 除: 阝 mound + 余 surplus = remove. The builder stares at the mound of surplus earth in the garden and calls a digger to remove it by Friday.
Component breakdown
除 = 阝 mound + 余 surplus
- 阝 mound
- 余 surplus
The builder stares at the mound of surplus earth in the garden and calls a digger to remove it by Friday.
How it is used
- To remove/eliminate - 删除 (shānchú) to delete, 消除 (xiāochú) to eliminate, 排除 (páichú) to rule out.
- The high-frequency function is 除了 (chúle) 'except/besides': 除了他都来了 (chúle tā dōu lái le) everyone came except him, vs. 除了…还… (besides…, also…).
- 除非 (chúfēi) means 'unless / only if': 除非你去，我才去 (chúfēi nǐ qù, wǒ cái qù) I'll go only if you do.
- Also 'to divide' in math (除法 chúfǎ, division) - 6除以2 (6 chú yǐ 2) six divided by two.
Words with 除
- 除了chúlebesidesHSK 3
- 删除shānchúto deleteHSK 5
- 除夕chúxīlunar New Year's EveHSK 5
- 拆除chāichúto tear downHSK 6
- 排除páichúto eliminateHSK 6
- 消除xiāochúto eliminateHSK 6
- 除非chúfēionly if (..., or otherwise, ...)HSK 6
- 免除miǎnchúto preventHSK 7
- 切除qiēchúto exciseHSK 7
- 去除qùchúto removeHSK 7
- 开除kāichúto expel (a member of an organization)HSK 7
- 扫除sǎochúto cleanHSK 7
- 清除qīngchúto clear awayHSK 7
- 破除pòchúto eliminateHSK 7
- 解除jiěchúto removeHSK 7
- 除去chúqùto eliminateHSK 7
- 除外chúwàito excludeHSK 7
- 剔除tīchúto rejectHSK 8
- 废除fèichúto abolishHSK 8
- 扣除kòuchúto deductHSK 8
Example sentences
- 我们都去，除了他。 Wǒmen dōu qù, chúle tā.All of us except him will go there.