卒

2 readings · tap one to hear it

soldier; servant; to finish; to die; finally; at last; pawn in Chinese chess

Sound it out + = · + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Pictograph (象形字)

A soldier in armor

Components 亠从十

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
无名小卒	wú míng xiǎo zú	insignificant soldier (idiom); a nobody; nonentity
为德不卒	wéi dé bù zú	to start on virtue but give up (idiom); to fail to carry things through; lack of sticking …
生卒年月	shēng zú nián yuè	dates of birth and death (of historical figure)
身先士卒	shēn xiān shì zú	to fight at the head of one's troops; (fig.) to take the lead
生卒年	shēng zú nián	dates of birth and death (of historical figure)
马前卒	mǎ qián zú	lackey; errand boy; lit. runner before a carriage
脑卒中	nǎo cù zhòng	stroke; cerebral hemorrhage
卒中	cù zhòng	stroke; cerebral hemorrhage
小卒	xiǎo zú	foot soldier; minor figure; a nobody; (chess) pawn
卒业	zú yè	to complete a course of study (old); to graduate
士卒	shì zú	soldier; private (army)
贩夫走卒	fàn fū zǒu zú	lit. peddlers and carriers; common people; lower class
走卒	zǒu zú	pawn (i.e. foot soldier); servant; lackey (of malefactor)
兵卒	bīng zú	soldiers; troops
暴卒	bào zú	to die of sudden illness; to die suddenly
劲卒	jìng zú	elite soldiers; a crack force
更卒	gēng zú	soldier (serving alternate watch)
仓卒	cāng cù	variant of 倉促\|仓促[cang1 cu4]
卒岁	zú suì	(literary) to get through the year; entire year; throughout the year
郁卒	yù zú	(Tw) depressed and frustrated (from Taiwanese, Tai-lo pr. [ut-tsut])

These characters use 卒 as their sound component — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
卒 sound part	zú	soldier; servant; at last, finally
碎	suì	to break, to smash; broken, busted
醉	zuì	intoxicated, drunk; addicted
翠	cuì	kingfisher; jade, emerald
粹	cuì	pure, unadulterated; essence
猝	cù	sudden, abrupt
萃	cuì	grassy; thick, dense, close; to gather, to assemble
瘁	cuì	tired, worn-out; sick; overworked
悴	cuì	to suffer; haggard, emaciated
淬	cuì	to soak, to dye; to temper, to change
晬	zuì	a child's first birthday
崒	zú	rocky peaks; lofty; dangerous
窣	sū	to emerge from a hole; rustling, whispering
綷	cuì	five-color silk
啐	cuì	to taste, to sip; to spit; the sound of sipping
谇	suì	to slander, to defame; to berate