Meanings of 叩
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About 叩
Podcast: 叩
Podcast: 叩
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AI Study Notes for 叩
敲 (qiāo) — use 叩 (kòu) for formal or respectful knocking, while 敲 (qiāo) is more casual and general.
Be careful not to confuse 叩 with similar-sounding words. While it can be used in formal contexts, it is also common in everyday situations, such as asking for permission. A common collocation is 叩门 (kòu mén), meaning 'to knock on the door'.
Though 叩 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to other action verbs in the lower HSK levels, such as 打 (dǎ, to hit) or 敲 (qiāo, to tap). Focus on pronunciation and the context of use to avoid confusion with these similar verbs.
Learners often confuse 叩 with 敲 (qiāo), which also means to knock but is used more for tapping or striking lightly. For instance, saying '我叩桌子' instead of '我敲桌子' (I knock on the table) is incorrect; use 敲 for that context.
Pronunciation of 叩
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Etymology of 叩
Phonosemantic compound. 卩 represents the meaning and 口 represents the sound. Simplified form of 敂.
kneel
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 叩
Phonosemantic compound. 卩 represents the meaning and 口 represents the sound. Simplified form of 敂.
- 1The meaning half卩 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half口 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaykneel
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 叩? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 叩
Identify the Components
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How to say to ask; to bow, to kowtow; to knock in Chinese
“to ask; to bow, to kowtow; to knock” in Chinese is叩
The character 叩 (kòu) primarily means to knock or to strike, often used in contexts such as knocking on a door. It also has connotations of respect, as in bowing or kowtowing, which is a traditional gesture of reverence in Chinese culture. This character can convey both physical action and social etiquette depending on the context.
When to use 叩
Be careful not to confuse 叩 with similar-sounding words. While it can be used in formal contexts, it is also common in everyday situations, such as asking for permission. A common collocation is 叩门 (kòu mén), meaning 'to knock on the door'.
叩 or something close to it
敲 (qiāo) — use 叩 (kòu) for formal or respectful knocking, while 敲 (qiāo) is more casual and general.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 叩 with 敲 (qiāo), which also means to knock but is used more for tapping or striking lightly. For instance, saying '我叩桌子' instead of '我敲桌子' (I knock on the table) is incorrect; use 敲 for that context.
Write 叩
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Practice writing 叩 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 叩
叩 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
他在讲话前先轻____了一下扩音器.
He gave a tap at the microphone before speaking.
Example Sentences for 叩 (4)
Word Family of 叩
Compound Meaning
What does 叩 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 叩
In a social context, 叩 implies showing respect through actions like bowing or kowtowing.
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