Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
坳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
坳àocavity, depression, hollow; depressed; undulatingg, 8 strokes, radical 土, rank #53424, Very Hard
ào(ao4)ao T4
  1. 1cavity, depression, hollow; depressed; undulating
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

坳(㘭)ào(ao4)

The character 坳 (ào) refers to a geographical depression or cavity in the landscape, such as a hollow or dip in the ground. It is commonly used in contexts relating to topography and can describe undulating terrain. The nuance often implies a sense of being lower than the surrounding area.

Strokes8Radical土Frequency#53424DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, landscape and geography are often celebrated in poetry and art, making terms like 坳 relevant in discussions of natural beauty and environment. Understanding this character can enhance appreciation for traditional Chinese landscape painting.

Memory tip

Imagine a giant 'A' (for 'ao') sitting in a hollow (the shape of the character) surrounded by hills. Visualize it like a valley where the 'A' represents the dip or cavity that is lower than its surroundings, helping you remember both the shape and sound.

Meanings of 坳

ào(ao4)
1cavity, depression, hollow; depressed; undulating
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 坳 means.

About 坳

坳Simplified
㘭Traditional
8Strokes
土Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 坳

JasonAmy

Podcast: 坳

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 坳

Quick Contrast

凹 (āo) - use 坳 (ào) for specific geographical depressions, while 凹 (āo) refers more generally to any concave shape.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 坳 (ào) with similar characters like 凹 (āo), which also means depression but is used in different contexts. It's important to use 坳 in geographical contexts rather than everyday situations. Be mindful of tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

While 坳 is not in the official HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enrich your vocabulary related to nature and geography. Focus on its usage with other terrain-related vocabulary to build a cohesive understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 坳 (ào) with other similar characters, using it incorrectly in non-geographical contexts. For example, saying '我感觉很坳' (Wǒ gǎnjué hěn ào) to mean 'I feel depressed' is incorrect; instead, use 低落 (dīluò) for emotional states.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 坳

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 坳 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 坳 to You

Let me explain 坳 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 坳 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 坳?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 坳 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.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 坳

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

earth

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

Origin

坳 = 土 + 幼. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 坳

IDS Structure⿰土幼
坳Full character
=
土Tu3
left
幼you4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 坳?

How to say cavity, depression, hollow; depressed; undulating in Chinese

“cavity, depression, hollow; depressed; undulating” in Chinese is坳ào

The character 坳 (ào) refers to a geographical depression or cavity in the landscape, such as a hollow or dip in the ground. It is commonly used in contexts relating to topography and can describe undulating terrain. The nuance often implies a sense of being lower than the surrounding area.

When to use 坳

Learners often confuse 坳 (ào) with similar characters like 凹 (āo), which also means depression but is used in different contexts. It's important to use 坳 in geographical contexts rather than everyday situations. Be mindful of tone; using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

坳 or something close to it

凹 (āo) - use 坳 (ào) for specific geographical depressions, while 凹 (āo) refers more generally to any concave shape.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 坳 (ào) with other similar characters, using it incorrectly in non-geographical contexts. For example, saying '我感觉很坳' (Wǒ gǎnjué hěn ào) to mean 'I feel depressed' is incorrect; instead, use 低落 (dīluò) for emotional states.

Write 坳

坳

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Ask Jason

Have a question about 坳?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Word Family of 坳

Words containing this character1
坳àocavity

Frequently Asked Questions about 坳

While both refer to depressions, 坳 is typically used in a geographical context, whereas 凹 describes a more general concave shape.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 坳?

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.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab