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嘚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嘚dēonomatopoeic; the sound of a horse's hooveszg, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #35872, Very Hard
嘚dē(onom.) for the sound of horsehoofsunknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #35872, Very Hard
dē(de1) T1
  1. 1onomatopoeic; the sound of a horse's hooves
  2. 2(onom.) for the sound of horsehoofs
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

嘚dē(de1)

The character 嘚 (dē) is an onomatopoeic word that represents the sound of a horse's hooves. It is commonly used in literary contexts to evoke imagery related to horses and riding. While not frequently used in daily conversation, it can appear in poetry or storytelling to create vivid soundscapes.

Strokes14Radical口Frequency#35872DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, horses are often associated with nobility and strength, and their sounds evoke a sense of freedom and adventure. The use of onomatopoeia like 嘚 in literature reflects a deep connection to nature and the pastoral life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a horse galloping through a field, making a rhythmic 'dē dē' sound as its hooves hit the ground. The character 嘚 looks like a horse's head (the top part) and its body (the lower part), helping you remember both the sound and the meaning.

Meanings of 嘚

dē(de1)
1onomatopoeic; the sound of a horse's hooves
2(onom.) for the sound of horsehoofs
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嘚

嘚Simplified
14Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嘚

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Podcast: 嘚

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AI Study Notes for 嘚

Usage Notes

嘚 is generally informal and might not be well understood outside of specific contexts like literature or poetry. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with other similar-sounding characters; it is best used when describing sounds. The tone is crucial; using the wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 嘚 is not included in HSK vocabulary, it can enhance your understanding of onomatopoeic words in Chinese. Focus on listening to how this sound is used in stories or poems to grasp its emotional and aesthetic value.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嘚 with similar-sounding characters like 的 (de) or 得 (dé), which have different meanings and usages. Remember, 嘚 specifically refers to the sound of horse hooves, while the others serve grammatical purposes.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嘚

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Etymology of 嘚

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

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)得
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 嘚

  1. 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half得 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymouth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 嘚? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 嘚?

Decomposition of 嘚

IDS Structure⿰口得
嘚Full Character
=
口kou3
left
得de2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嘚?

How to say onomatopoeic; the sound of a horse's hooves in Chinese

“onomatopoeic; the sound of a horse's hooves” in Chinese is嘚dē

The character 嘚 (dē) is an onomatopoeic word that represents the sound of a horse's hooves. It is commonly used in literary contexts to evoke imagery related to horses and riding. While not frequently used in daily conversation, it can appear in poetry or storytelling to create vivid soundscapes.

When to use 嘚

嘚 is generally informal and might not be well understood outside of specific contexts like literature or poetry. Learners should be cautious not to confuse it with other similar-sounding characters; it is best used when describing sounds. The tone is crucial; using the wrong tone can lead to misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 嘚 with similar-sounding characters like 的 (de) or 得 (dé), which have different meanings and usages. Remember, 嘚 specifically refers to the sound of horse hooves, while the others serve grammatical purposes.

Write 嘚

嘚

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 嘚

Words Containing This Character1
嘚dē(onom.) for the sound of horsehoofs
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 嘚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嘚

嘚 is rarely used in everyday conversation; it is more appropriate in literary or artistic contexts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 嘚?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.