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啼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
啼
tí
to weep, to whimper; to howl; to crow
v, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #35113, Very Hard
啼
tí
to cry
unknown, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #35113, Very Hard
啼
tí
to weep aloud
unknown, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #35113, Very Hard
啼
tí
to hoot
unknown, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #35113, Very Hard
tí(ti2)ti T2
1to weep, to whimper; to howl; to crow
2to cry
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March 24, 2026
啼tí(ti2)
The character 啼 (tí) refers to the act of crying or making a sound of distress, often associated with animals such as birds or infants. It can imply a more dramatic or loud expression of sorrow, such as howling or weeping. Common usage includes descriptions of both human emotions and animal sounds.
Strokes12Radical口Frequency#35113DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the sound of a bird crying (啼) is often seen as a sign of longing or sadness, symbolizing deeper emotional states in poetry and folklore.
Memory tip
Imagine a baby crying so loudly that it can be heard for miles—this is the essence of 啼 (tí). The character shows a mouth (口) next to a sound-related radical (啼), symbolizing the vocal expression of sorrow or distress.
Meanings of 啼
tí(ti2)
1to weep, to whimper; to howl; to crow
2to cry
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 啼
啼Simplified
12Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 啼
Podcast: 啼
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AI study notes for 啼
Quick Contrast
鸣 (míng) — use 啼 (tí) for louder, more distressful cries, while 鸣 (míng) is for lighter, melodic sounds, often associated with birds.
Usage Notes
啼 is typically used in emotional contexts and might sound overly dramatic in casual conversation. It often appears in literary or poetic settings. Be careful with tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
Although 啼 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding this term can enhance your ability to describe emotions and animal sounds, which is useful for HSK levels 3 and up. Focus on recognizing its usage in literature.
Common Mistakes
Learners may confuse 啼 with 哭 (kū), which is more general for crying. For example, saying '我啼' (wǒ tí) instead of '我哭' (wǒ kū) would sound overly dramatic in everyday conversation.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 啼
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Example
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啼 = 口 + 帝. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 啼
IDS Structure⿰口帝
啼Full character
=
口kou3
left
帝di4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 啼?
How to say to weep, to whimper; to howl; to crow in Chinese
“to weep, to whimper; to howl; to crow” in Chinese is啼tí
The character 啼 (tí) refers to the act of crying or making a sound of distress, often associated with animals such as birds or infants. It can imply a more dramatic or loud expression of sorrow, such as howling or weeping. Common usage includes descriptions of both human emotions and animal sounds.
When to use 啼
啼 is typically used in emotional contexts and might sound overly dramatic in casual conversation. It often appears in literary or poetic settings. Be careful with tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.
啼 or something close to it
鸣 (míng) — use 啼 (tí) for louder, more distressful cries, while 鸣 (míng) is for lighter, melodic sounds, often associated with birds.
What learners get wrong
Learners may confuse 啼 with 哭 (kū), which is more general for crying. For example, saying '我啼' (wǒ tí) instead of '我哭' (wǒ kū) would sound overly dramatic in everyday conversation.
Write 啼
啼
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Practice writing 啼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 啼
啼 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. It carries 4 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 5
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
有个婴儿在教堂后部大声____哭。
There was an infant squalling in the back of the church.
Example sentences for 啼 (10)
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1
有个婴儿在教堂后部大声啼哭。
yǒu gè yīng’ér zài jiàotáng hòu bù dàshēng tí kū。
There was an infant squalling in the back of the church.
2
有那么一刻，一只鸟儿在温室里啼叫。
yǒu nàme yīkè， yī zhī niǎo ér zài wēnshì lǐ tí jiào。
At one point a bird trilled in the Conservatory.
3
他母亲把他叫到跟前训斥了一番，又哭哭啼啼地向上帝祷告。
tā mǔqīn bǎ tā jiào dào gēnqián xùn chì le yīfān， yòu kū kū tí tí dì xiàngshàng dì dǎo gào。
His mother summoned him, upbraided him, wept and prayed.
4
一只猫头鹰在附近啼叫。
yī zhī māo tóu yīng zài fùjìn tí jiào。
An owl hooted nearby.
5
雄鸡在农家院中啼叫.
xióng jī zài nóng jiā yuàn zhōng tí jiào.
The cock crows in the farmyard.
6
公鸡振翅啼叫.
gōngjī zhèn chì tí jiào.
The cock clapped his wings and crowed.
7
处处闻啼鸟。
chùchù wén tí niǎo。
The air is filled with birdsong.
8
婴儿闻到妈妈衣服的味道就会停止啼哭.
yīng’ér wén dào māma yīfu de wèidào jiù huì tíngzhǐ tí kū.
A baby will stop crying when It'smells the scent of its mother's clothes.
9
婴儿闻到妈妈衣服的味道就会停止啼哭。
yīng’ér wén dào māma yīfu de wèidào jiù huì tíngzhǐ tí kū。
A baby will stop crying when it smells the scent of its mother's clothes.
10
那位酒吧侍者斯基普拿出夸张的令人啼笑皆非的小心劲儿调制着酸溜溜的花匠式混合甜饮料.
nà wèi jiǔbā shì zhě Sī jī pǔ náchū kuāzhāng de lìng rén tí xiào jiē fēi de xiǎoxīn jìn ér diào zhì zhe suān liū liū de huā jiàng shì hùnhé tián yǐnliào.
Skip , the bartender made the sour planters'punch with exaggerated, ironic care.
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Word Family of 啼
Words containing this character6
哭哭啼啼kūkutítíto weep endlessly
啼títo cry
啼笑皆非tíxiàojiēfēibetween laughter and tears
啼哭tíkūto cry
悲啼bēitíplaintive cry
啼饥号寒tíjīháohánhunger cries and cold roars (idiom); wretched poverty啼饑號寒
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 啼
What does 哭哭啼啼 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 啼
Synonyms include 哭 (kū), which means to cry, and 呜 (wū), which can refer to a sound of lament.
While it primarily conveys a loud or dramatic form of crying, it is often used in specific contexts like animal sounds or poetic expressions.
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