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劐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
劐huōto destroyx, 15 strokes, radical 刂
huō(huo1) T1
  1. 1to destroy
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

劐huō(huo1)

The character 劐 (huō) means 'to destroy' or 'to break down.' It is rarely used in modern Chinese and is often found in classical texts or literary contexts, typically referring to the act of causing destruction or dismantling something, whether physically or metaphorically.

Strokes15Radical刂
Cultural Note

The concept of destruction is often linked to the philosophical idea of change in Chinese culture, where destruction can lead to rebirth or renewal, as seen in many traditional stories and texts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant hand (the radical 力, meaning strength) crushing a structure, symbolizing destruction. The pronunciation 'huō' sounds like 'whoa,' as in 'whoa, look at that destruction!' This connection helps you remember that this character relates to powerful destruction.

Meanings of 劐

huō(huo1)
1to destroy
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 劐

劐Simplified
15Strokes
刂Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 劐

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Podcast: 劐

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AI Study Notes for 劐

Usage Notes

Due to its rarity, 劐 is usually found in literary or historical texts rather than in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with more commonly used words for destruction, like 破坏 (pòhuài), which is more conversational. Always consider the context when using this character.

HSK Study Tips

As an uncommon character not included in the HSK levels, students should focus on understanding its meaning through classical literature or specialized vocabulary. Connecting it to more common words for destruction will help reinforce its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 劐 with 破坏 (pòhuài) because both relate to destruction. A common mistake is using 劐 in a conversation where 破坏 would be more appropriate, as 劐 sounds overly formal and literary.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 劐

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Etymology of 劐

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

knife

Semantic (meaning)刂
+
Phonetic (sound)蒦
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 劐

  1. 1The meaning half刂 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half蒦 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayknife
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 劐? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 劐?

Decomposition of 劐

IDS Structure⿰蒦刂
劐Full Character
=
蒦huo4
left
刂dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 劐?

How to say to destroy in Chinese

“to destroy” in Chinese is劐huō

The character 劐 (huō) means 'to destroy' or 'to break down.' It is rarely used in modern Chinese and is often found in classical texts or literary contexts, typically referring to the act of causing destruction or dismantling something, whether physically or metaphorically.

When to use 劐

Due to its rarity, 劐 is usually found in literary or historical texts rather than in everyday conversation. Be careful not to confuse it with more commonly used words for destruction, like 破坏 (pòhuài), which is more conversational. Always consider the context when using this character.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 劐 with 破坏 (pòhuài) because both relate to destruction. A common mistake is using 劐 in a conversation where 破坏 would be more appropriate, as 劐 sounds overly formal and literary.

Write 劐

劐

Practice writing 劐 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Frequently Asked Questions about 劐

No, 劐 is considered a literary character and is rarely used in everyday conversation.

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