处

2 readings · tap one to hear it

(bound form) place; locality; (bound form) part; aspect; (bound form) office; department; bureau; classifier for locations: spot, point

Sound it out + = · + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Ideographic compound (会意字)

To go somewhere 夂 and put down a flag 卜

Components 夂卜

location · Heisig RSH #308

walking legs + divining rod

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

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

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
人事处	rén shì chù	human resources department
水处理	shuǐ chǔ lǐ	water treatment
自然语言处理	zì rán yǔ yán chǔ lǐ	natural language processing, NLP
海事处	Hǎi shì chù	Marine Department (Hong Kong)
会合处	huì hé chù	joint
文字处理	wén zì chǔ lǐ	word processing
文书处理	wén shū chǔ lǐ	paperwork; clerical tasks; (Tw) word processing
处世之道	chǔ shì zhī dào	way of life; attitude; modus operandi
外事处	wài shì chù	Foreign Affairs Office (at a university); Foreign Affairs Department
处理器	chǔ lǐ qì	processor
处子	chǔ zǐ	(literary) virgin; maiden
区处	qū chǔ	(literary) to handle; to treat
区处	qū chù	(literary) dwelling; residence; (Tw) regional office of a company
地处	dì chǔ	to be located at; to be situated in
无处	wú chù	nowhere
无处不在	wú chù bù zài	to be everywhere
处理者	chǔ lǐ zhě	handler (computing)
处理能力	chǔ lǐ néng lì	processing capability; throughput
大处着眼，小处着手	dà chù zhuó yǎn , xiǎo chù zhuó shǒu	think of the big picture, start with the little things (idiom)
处分	chǔ fèn	to discipline sb; to punish; disciplinary action; to deal with (a matter); CL:個\|个[ge4]

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

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
处 sound part	chù	to reside at, to live in; place, locale; department
咎	jiù	fault, defect; error, mistake