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咄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
咄duōa cry of angeri, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #41493, Very Hard
咄duō(old)(interjection expressing disapproval, commiseration etc) tut!unknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #41493, Very Hard
咄duōTaiwan pr. [duo4]unknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #41493, Very Hard
duō(duo1)duo T1
  1. 1a cry of anger
  2. 2(old)(interjection expressing disapproval, commiseration etc) tut!
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March 24, 2026

咄duō(duo1)

The character 咄 (duō) is an interjection used to express disapproval or anger, similar to saying 'tut!' in English. It can convey annoyance or surprise in response to a situation, often used in informal contexts. While not commonly used in contemporary Mandarin, it appears more in literature or historical texts.

Strokes8Radical口Frequency#41493DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, expressions of disapproval or anger have historical significance in literature and drama, often reflecting societal norms of respect and hierarchy. The interjection 咄 can represent a cultural response to perceived disrespect or foolishness in a conversation.

Memory tip

Imagine someone angrily exclaiming 'duō!' while shaking their head. The character 咄 resembles a mouth (口) that is about to shout or cry out, representing the vocal expression of disapproval. The sound 'duō' can be associated with the idea of a loud cry or outburst.

Meanings of 咄

duō(duo1)
1a cry of anger
2(old)(interjection expressing disapproval, commiseration etc) tut!
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 咄

咄Simplified
8Strokes
口Radical
成语chéngyǔidiom (id.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 咄

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Podcast: 咄

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AI study notes for 咄

Usage Notes

Due to its interjection nature, 咄 is more common in informal speech and literature rather than in formal settings. A common mistake is using it in serious discussions, where it might come off as disrespectful. Be mindful of the tone; the pronunciation should be clear and emphatic to convey the intended emotion.

HSK Study Tips

As this character is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it’s useful for learners to focus on the context in which it appears in literature or dialogues. Understanding its emotional nuance will enhance your comprehension of characters at higher levels, especially those that express feelings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misplace 咄 in formal contexts, mistakenly using it to express frustration in business or serious discussions. It's important to reserve this term for informal situations to avoid sounding disrespectful.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 咄

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Etymology of 咄

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 出 represents the sound.

Memory hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)出
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

咄 = 口 + 出. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 咄

IDS Structure⿰口出
咄Full character
=
口kou3
left
出chu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 咄?

How to say a cry of anger in Chinese

“a cry of anger” in Chinese is咄duō

The character 咄 (duō) is an interjection used to express disapproval or anger, similar to saying 'tut!' in English. It can convey annoyance or surprise in response to a situation, often used in informal contexts. While not commonly used in contemporary Mandarin, it appears more in literature or historical texts.

When to use 咄

Due to its interjection nature, 咄 is more common in informal speech and literature rather than in formal settings. A common mistake is using it in serious discussions, where it might come off as disrespectful. Be mindful of the tone; the pronunciation should be clear and emphatic to convey the intended emotion.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misplace 咄 in formal contexts, mistakenly using it to express frustration in business or serious discussions. It's important to reserve this term for informal situations to avoid sounding disrespectful.

Write 咄

咄

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

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Grammar patterns of 咄

咄 functions as a four-character idiom (成语). Treat it as a fixed unit; it usually plays the role of a single adjective, adverb, or noun phrase inside the larger sentence. It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他____咄逼人地强迫你了解他的看法。

His relentless aggression bludgeons you into seeing his point.

Example sentences for 咄 (5)

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1
他咄咄逼人地强迫你了解他的看法。

tā duō duō bī rén dì qiǎngpò nǐ liǎojiě tā de kànfǎ。

His relentless aggression bludgeons you into seeing his point.
2
她咄咄逼人的态度让他难以解释自己的感情。

tā duō duō bī rén de tàidù ràng tā nányǐ jiěshì zìjǐ de gǎnqíng。

Her aggressiveness made it difficult for him to explain his own feelings.
3
委员会咄咄逼人的宣传方式使其不得人心。

wěiyuánhuì duō duō bī rén de xuānchuán fāngshì shǐ qí bùdé rén xīn。

The committee's confrontational style of campaigning has made it unpopular.
4
他眼珠子咄咄逼人地盯住郭世富, 企图逼他屈服.

tā yǎn zhū zi duō duō bī rén dì dīng zhù guō shì fù, qǐtú bī tā qūfú.

He looked at Guo Shifu compellingly . He wanted to force him to submit.
5
她经常摆出一副咄咄逼人的气势,象是要找他们的岔儿.

tā jīngcháng bǎi chū yī fù duō duō bī rén de qìshì, xiàng shì yào zhǎo tāmen de chà ér.

She had an oppressive air of expecting subtle things of them.

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Word Family of 咄

Words containing this character4
咄咄逼人overbearing
咄duōTaiwan pr. [duò]
咄咄怪事strange
咄咄tut-tut
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 咄

What does 咄咄逼人 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 咄

Use 咄 when you feel frustrated or surprised about something someone has done, but be cautious as it can come off as rude.

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