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嚎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
嚎
háo
to cry loudly, to scream, to yell
zg, 17 strokes, radical 口, rank #15845, Very Hard
嚎
háo
howl
unknown, 17 strokes, radical 口, rank #15845, Very Hard
嚎
háo
bawl
unknown, 17 strokes, radical 口, rank #15845, Very Hard
háo(hao2)hao T2
1to cry loudly, to scream, to yell
2howl
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March 24, 2026
嚎háo(hao2)
The character 嚎 (háo) means to cry loudly or to scream, often associated with animals howling or humans expressing extreme emotions. It can convey a sense of distress or a strong outburst of feeling, commonly used in both literary and conversational contexts when describing loud cries or yells.
Strokes17Radical口Frequency#15845DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese culture, howling is often associated with grief or lamentation, especially in poetry and folklore. The imagery of animals howling, such as wolves or dogs, can symbolize loyalty or the expression of deep sorrow.
Memory tip
Imagine a wolf howling under the moonlight, its howl echoing through the night. The character 嚎 has the mouth radical (口), symbolizing the act of crying out loudly. Visualize the wolf’s mouth wide open as it lets out a powerful howl, which sounds like 'háo'.
Meanings of 嚎
háo(hao2)
1to cry loudly, to scream, to yell
2howl
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 嚎 means.
About 嚎
嚎Simplified
17Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 嚎
Podcast: 嚎
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AI Study Notes for 嚎
Quick Contrast
嚎 (háo) vs 叫 (jiào) — use 嚎 for loud, often distressing cries, while 叫 is more general for calling or shouting.
Usage Notes
Be cautious when using 嚎 in formal contexts; it’s more suited for informal situations or expressive writing. Common collocations include 嚎叫 (to howl/yell) and 嚎啕大哭 (to cry loudly). Remember that the tone is the second tone (háo), which can be confused with the first tone (hāo) in pronunciation.
HSK Study Tips
Although 嚎 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be related to other words at HSK 5 that express emotional states or sounds, like 哭 (kū, to cry). Focus on recognizing how this character fits into the broader context of emotions and sounds in the language.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 嚎 with 哀 (āi), which means to lament. An incorrect usage would be saying '我很哀' (I am very lamenting), when it should be '我很嚎' (I cry out loudly).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 嚎
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How Well Do You Know 嚎?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 嚎 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.
嚎 = 口 + 豪. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 嚎
IDS Structure⿰口豪
嚎Full character
=
口kou3
left
豪hao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 嚎?
How to say to cry loudly, to scream, to yell in Chinese
“to cry loudly, to scream, to yell” in Chinese is嚎háo
The character 嚎 (háo) means to cry loudly or to scream, often associated with animals howling or humans expressing extreme emotions. It can convey a sense of distress or a strong outburst of feeling, commonly used in both literary and conversational contexts when describing loud cries or yells.
When to use 嚎
Be cautious when using 嚎 in formal contexts; it’s more suited for informal situations or expressive writing. Common collocations include 嚎叫 (to howl/yell) and 嚎啕大哭 (to cry loudly). Remember that the tone is the second tone (háo), which can be confused with the first tone (hāo) in pronunciation.
嚎 or something close to it
嚎 (háo) vs 叫 (jiào) — use 嚎 for loud, often distressing cries, while 叫 is more general for calling or shouting.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 嚎 with 哀 (āi), which means to lament. An incorrect usage would be saying '我很哀' (I am very lamenting), when it should be '我很嚎' (I cry out loudly).
Write 嚎
嚎
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Practice writing 嚎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 嚎
嚎 carries 3 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.
那只狗开始哀____。
The dog began to yowl.
Example Sentences for 嚎 (8)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
那只狗开始哀嚎。
nà zhī gǒu kāishǐ Āi háo。
The dog began to yowl.
2
他能听见她的狗在暗处吠叫、哀嚎。
tā néng tīngjiàn tā de gǒu zài àn chǔ fèi jiào、 Āi háo。
He could hear her dog barking and whining in the background.
3
当血从伤口中喷出时，他像一只受伤的动物一样嚎叫起来。
dāng xuè cóng shāngkǒu zhōng pēn chū shí， tā xiàng yī zhī shòushāng de dòngwù yíyàng háo jiào qǐlái。
He howled like a wounded animal as blood spurted from the gash.
4
远处峡谷的西缘，一只丛林狼嚎叫了两声。
yuǎnchù xiágǔ de xī yuán， yī zhī cónglín láng háo jiào le liǎng shēng。
Far up the west rim of the canyon, a coyote yipped twice.
