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咔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
咔kǎ(used as phonetic "ka")unknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13211, Very Hard
咔kǎused in transliterationszg, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13211, Very Hard
咔kā(used as phonetic "ka")unknown, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13211, Very Hard
咔kāused in transliterationszg, 8 strokes, radical 口, rank #13211, Very Hard
kā(ka1)ka
primary
T1
  1. 1(used as phonetic "ka")
  2. 2used in transliterations
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

咔kā(ka1)

The character 咔 (kā) is primarily used as a phonetic marker in transliterations, representing the sound 'ka.' It is often found in onomatopoeic expressions or words that mimic sounds, such as in comic books or informal texts. While it does not have a standalone meaning, it plays a role in creating expressive language.

Strokes8Radical口Frequency#13211DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In modern Chinese pop culture, 咔 is frequently used in comic strips or graphic novels to represent sound effects, reflecting the vibrant and expressive nature of contemporary storytelling in China.

Memory tip

Imagine a camera clicking 'ka' as it captures a moment. The character 咔 looks like a mouth (口) making a sharp sound, which reinforces the idea of a quick, sharp noise like a 'ka.' This connection helps remember its sound and usage.

Meanings of 咔

kā(ka1)
primary
1(used as phonetic "ka")
2used in transliterations
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 咔 means.

About 咔

咔Simplified
8Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 咔

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Podcast: 咔

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AI study notes for 咔

Usage Notes

Since 咔 is mainly used in informal contexts, it is less common in formal writing. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters and be aware that it is often paired with other characters to create sound effects. It's important to use it in appropriate contexts to avoid sounding childish.

HSK Study Tips

Though 咔 is not included in the HSK levels, students should recognize it as a part of sound-related vocabulary. Connecting it with other onomatopoeic words can enhance understanding of informal expressions and sound mimicry in Mandarin.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 咔 with similar-sounding characters like 卡 (kǎ), which means 'card' or 'to stop.' It's essential to remember that 咔 is used for sound effects and transliteration, not as a standalone word.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 咔

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Etymology of 咔

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

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

Memory hint

mouth

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

Origin

咔 = 口 + 卡. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 咔

IDS Structure⿰口卡
咔Full character
=
口kou3
left
卡ka3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 咔?

How to say (used as phonetic "ka") in Chinese

“(used as phonetic "ka")” in Chinese is咔kǎ

The character 咔 (kā) is primarily used as a phonetic marker in transliterations, representing the sound 'ka.' It is often found in onomatopoeic expressions or words that mimic sounds, such as in comic books or informal texts. While it does not have a standalone meaning, it plays a role in creating expressive language.

When to use 咔

Since 咔 is mainly used in informal contexts, it is less common in formal writing. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters and be aware that it is often paired with other characters to create sound effects. It's important to use it in appropriate contexts to avoid sounding childish.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 咔 with similar-sounding characters like 卡 (kǎ), which means 'card' or 'to stop.' It's essential to remember that 咔 is used for sound effects and transliteration, not as a standalone word.

Write 咔

咔

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

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Grammar patterns of 咔

咔 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

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

它猛地朝我的脚脖子咬下去,牙齿还____咔直响。

His teeth clicked as he snapped at my ankle.

Example sentences for 咔 (4)

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1
它猛地朝我的脚脖子咬下去,牙齿还咔咔直响。

tā měng dì cháo wǒ de jiǎo bózi yǎo xiàqù, yáchǐ hái kā kā zhí xiǎng。

His teeth clicked as he snapped at my ankle.
2
马刀在刀鞘里咔嗒作响,骑手催马向前。

mǎ dāo zài dāo qiào lǐ kā dā zuō xiǎng, qíshǒu cuī mǎ xiàngqián。

Sabres rasped from scabbards and the horsemen spurred forward.
3
他挪了一下身体的重心,一根树枝咔嚓一声断了。

tā nuó le yíxià shēntǐ de zhòngxīn, yī gēn shùzhī kā cā yī shēng duàn le。

He shifted his weight and a twig snapped.
4
矫健的自行车手们纷纷骑车冲出起跑门,突然苏格兰选手的左脚咔嗒一声踩空了踏板,观众不禁倒抽了一口冷气。

jiáo jiàn de zìxíngchē shǒu men fēnfēn qíchē chōng chū qǐ pǎo mén, tūrán sū gé lán xuǎnshǒu de zuǒ jiǎo kā dā yī shēng cǎi kōng le tà bǎn, guānzhòng bùjīn dào chōu le yī kǒu lěngqì。

As the gladiators rolled away from the starting gates, a gasp went up when the Scottish cyclist's left foot clicked out of the pedal.

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Word Family of 咔

Words containing this character4
咔kā(used as phonetic "ka")
咔嚓stop it
咔叽khaki (loanword)咔嘰
咔嗒clatter
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 咔

What does 咔嚓 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 咔

咔 does not have a specific meaning and is primarily used as a phonetic sound in transliterations.

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