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啄 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
啄zhuóto peckv, 11 strokes, radical 口, rank #16985, Very Hard
zhuó(zhuo2)zhuo T2
  1. 1to peck
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March 24, 2026

啄zhuó(zhuo2)

The character 啄 (zhuó) means 'to peck,' commonly used in contexts involving birds or actions resembling pecking. It implies a repetitive, small-scale action, often associated with feeding or searching for food. This word can also convey a sense of precise or targeted action, like pecking at something with intent.

Strokes11Radical口Frequency#16985DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, birds are often symbols of freedom and nature, and pecking is a common image in poetry that evokes the beauty of the natural world. The action of pecking can also symbolize diligence in searching for knowledge or resources.

Memory tip

Imagine a bird pecking at the ground in search of seeds. The character 啄 looks like a bird's beak (the top part) pecking downwards at something (the lower part). Envision the sound 'zhuó' as the quick pecking noise made by a bird.

Meanings of 啄

zhuó(zhuo2)
1to peck
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 啄

啄Simplified
11Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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AI study notes for 啄

Quick Contrast

啄 (peck) vs 啊 (a, interjection) — 啄 specifically refers to the action of pecking, while 啊 serves as an interjection without a direct action implication.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 啄 with similar-sounding verbs; ensure to use it specifically for pecking actions. It is generally used in informal contexts, but can also be found in literary descriptions of nature. Be mindful of tone; using a wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Although 啄 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it relates to other verbs of action at higher levels. Students should focus on recognizing it in context, especially in literature or descriptions of nature, to enhance their reading comprehension.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 啄 with 拍 (pāi), which means 'to clap' or 'to pat.' Remember that 啄 specifically refers to pecking actions, not just any tapping movement. For example, using 啄 in a context meant for 拍 would be incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 啄

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Etymology of 啄

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

mouth

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

Origin

啄 = 口 + 豖. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 啄

IDS Structure⿰口豖
啄Full character
=
口kou3
left
豖chu4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 啄?

How to say to peck in Chinese

“to peck” in Chinese is啄zhuó

The character 啄 (zhuó) means 'to peck,' commonly used in contexts involving birds or actions resembling pecking. It implies a repetitive, small-scale action, often associated with feeding or searching for food. This word can also convey a sense of precise or targeted action, like pecking at something with intent.

When to use 啄

Learners often confuse 啄 with similar-sounding verbs; ensure to use it specifically for pecking actions. It is generally used in informal contexts, but can also be found in literary descriptions of nature. Be mindful of tone; using a wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

啄 or something close to it

啄 (peck) vs 啊 (a, interjection) — 啄 specifically refers to the action of pecking, while 啊 serves as an interjection without a direct action implication.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 啄 with 拍 (pāi), which means 'to clap' or 'to pat.' Remember that 啄 specifically refers to pecking actions, not just any tapping movement. For example, using 啄 in a context meant for 拍 would be incorrect.

Write 啄

啄

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

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Grammar patterns of 啄

啄 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

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

鸟儿们紧贴在墙上,____着砖缝。

The birds cling to the wall and nibble at the brickwork.

Example sentences for 啄 (7)

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1
鸟儿们紧贴在墙上,啄着砖缝。

niǎo ér men jǐn tiē zài qiáng shàng, zhuó zhe zhuān féng。

The birds cling to the wall and nibble at the brickwork.
2
这些鸟啄掉了所有红色的花。

zhèxiē niǎo zhuó diào le suǒyǒu hóngsè de huā。

These birds peck off all the red flowers.
3
它啄了他的腿。

tā zhuó le tā de tuǐ。

It pecked his leg.
4
鸟啄它的羽毛使之松散.

niǎo zhuó tā de yǔ máo shǐ zhī sōng sǎn.

The bird fluffed its feathers.
5
风在林间吹过,叶子微微作着声响.岭上啄木鸟在波波地敲着树子.

fēng zài lín jiān chuī guò, yèzi wēiwēi zuō zhe shēng xiǎng. lǐng shàng zhuó mù niǎo zài Bō Bō dì qiāo zhe shù zi.

Leaves rustled lightly in the wind and woodpeckers tapped at tree trunks.
6
母鸡啄食地上的谷粒.

mǔjī zhuó shí dìshang de gǔ lì.

The hen ate the grains of corn on the ground.
7
秃鹰在天空盘旋等着啄食鹿的尸体.

tū yīng zài tiānkōng pánxuán děng zhe zhuó shí lù de shītǐ.

Vultures flew around in the sky waiting to pick at the carcass of the deer.

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Word Family of 啄

Words containing this character3
啄zhuóto peck
啄木鸟zhuómùniǎowoodpecker啄木鳥
啄食zhuóshí(of a bird) to peck at food
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 啄

What does 啄木鸟 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 啄

Besides 'to peck,' it can also imply similar actions like 'to nip' or 'to tap,' depending on context.

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