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嘎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
嘎
gá
a cackling sound; bad, malevolent
o, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #9578, Very Hard
嘎
gá
cackling sound
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #9578, Very Hard
嘎
gā
a cackling sound; bad, malevolent
o, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #9578, Very Hard
嘎
gā
cackling sound
unknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #9578, Very Hard
gā(ga1)ga
primary
T1
1a cackling sound; bad, malevolent
2cackling sound
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
嘎gā(ga1)
The character 嘎 (gā) primarily represents a cackling sound, similar to the noise made by certain birds or animals. It can also imply something bad or malevolent, often used in contexts to describe unpleasant situations or behaviors. This character is commonly encountered in informal speech and expressions related to laughter or mockery.
Strokes14Radical口Frequency#9578DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
The sound represented by 嘎 is often associated with certain animals in Chinese culture, like ducks or geese, which are common in traditional rural life. This connection highlights the importance of nature and animal sounds in everyday Chinese expression.
Memory tip
Imagine a duck cackling 'gā' while waddling around a garden. The character 嘎 looks like a duck's beak (口) with a little twist (可), representing the sound it makes. Picture the duck making a bad choice in the garden, which connects to the negative connotation of 'bad' or 'malevolent' in its meaning.
Meanings of 嘎
gā(ga1)
primary
1a cackling sound; bad, malevolent
2cackling sound
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 嘎 means.
About 嘎
嘎Simplified
14Strokes
口Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 嘎
Podcast: 嘎
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AI study notes for 嘎
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 嘎 with similar-sounding characters like 卡 (kǎ) or 蛤 (há), which have different meanings. It's primarily used in informal contexts, so avoid using it in formal writing. Often appears in phrases describing laughter or mockery, and learners should practice the pronunciation to avoid tone errors.
HSK Study Tips
While 嘎 is not included in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to words that express sounds or emotions, such as 哭 (kū, to cry) or 笑 (xiào, to laugh). Students should practice its pronunciation and recognize its informal contexts to enhance their speaking skills.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 嘎 with more commonly used characters like 呵 (hē) or 啊 (a), which can lead to incorrect usage in sentences. For instance, saying '我嘎了' (Wǒ gā le) instead of '我笑了' (Wǒ xiào le) to mean 'I laughed' is incorrect; the former does not convey the intended meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 嘎
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Tone practice
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How well do you know 嘎?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 嘎 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
嘎 = 口 + 戛. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 嘎
IDS Structure⿰口戛
嘎Full character
=
口kou3
left
戛jia2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 嘎?
How to say a cackling sound; bad, malevolent in Chinese
“a cackling sound; bad, malevolent” in Chinese is嘎gá
The character 嘎 (gā) primarily represents a cackling sound, similar to the noise made by certain birds or animals. It can also imply something bad or malevolent, often used in contexts to describe unpleasant situations or behaviors. This character is commonly encountered in informal speech and expressions related to laughter or mockery.
When to use 嘎
Common mistakes include confusing 嘎 with similar-sounding characters like 卡 (kǎ) or 蛤 (há), which have different meanings. It's primarily used in informal contexts, so avoid using it in formal writing. Often appears in phrases describing laughter or mockery, and learners should practice the pronunciation to avoid tone errors.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 嘎 with more commonly used characters like 呵 (hē) or 啊 (a), which can lead to incorrect usage in sentences. For instance, saying '我嘎了' (Wǒ gā le) instead of '我笑了' (Wǒ xiào le) to mean 'I laughed' is incorrect; the former does not convey the intended meaning.
Write 嘎
嘎
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Practice writing 嘎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 嘎
嘎 functions as an onomatopoeic word — it imitates a sound. It often functions as an adverbial or stand-alone exclamation rather than a true verb or noun. It carries 2 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.
我签到后____吱嘎吱走过石子路来到我的房间。
I signed in and crunched across the gravel to my room.
Example sentences for 嘎 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我签到后嘎吱嘎吱走过石子路来到我的房间。
wǒ qiān dào hòu gā zhī gā zhī zǒuguò dàn zi lù láidào wǒ de fángjiān。
I signed in and crunched across the gravel to my room.
2
电梯嘎吱一声停在了一层。
diàntī gā zhī yī shēng tíng zài le yī céng。
The elevator creaked to a halt at the ground floor.
3
一辆黑色的梅赛德斯轿车在直升机旁嘎的一声刹住了。
yī liàng hēisè de méi sài dé Sī jiàochē zài zhíshēngjī páng gā de yī shēng chà zhù le。
A black Mercedes screeched to a halt beside the helicopter.
