mysterious, obscure, profound; used in transliterations
x, 13 strokes, radical 大, rank #62567, Very Hard
ào(ao4) T4
1mysterious, obscure, profound; used in transliterations
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March 24, 2026
奧ào(ao4)
The character 奧 (ào) means mysterious, obscure, or profound. It is often used in contexts that convey a sense of depth and complexity, such as in philosophical discussions or when describing intricate concepts. It can also appear in transliterations of foreign words, reflecting its versatility in the language.
Strokes13Radical大Frequency#62567DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of mystery is often linked to traditional philosophies and practices, such as Taoism, which emphasizes understanding the profound aspects of life that are not immediately visible.
Memory Tip
Imagine a deep, dark cave (奧) that holds ancient secrets. The two components, 女 (nǚ) meaning 'woman' and 奥 (ào), can remind you of a woman who knows profound mysteries hidden within the cave. This imagery links the character’s meaning to its form.
Meanings of 奧
ào(ao4)
1mysterious, obscure, profound; used in transliterations
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 奧
奧Simplified
13Strokes
大Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 奧
Podcast: 奧
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
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AI Study Notes for 奧
Quick Contrast
深 (shēn) - choose 奧 (ào) for a sense of mystery or obscurity rather than just depth.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a deep, dark cave (奧) that holds ancient secrets. The two components, 女 (nǚ) meaning 'woman' and 奥 (ào), can remind you of a woman who knows profound mysteries hidden within the cave. This imagery links the character’s meaning to its form.
Usage Notes
Be careful with the tone; 奧 is pronounced with a falling tone (à). It's often used in formal contexts, such as literature or academic discussions. Common collocations include 奧秘 (àomì), meaning 'mystery,' and 奧義 (àoyì), meaning 'profound meaning.'
HSK Study Tips
Although this character is not part of the HSK levels, it connects with vocabulary around abstract concepts found in higher levels. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in literary texts and transliterations, as well as its nuance in meaning.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of mystery is often linked to traditional philosophies and practices, such as Taoism, which emphasizes understanding the profound aspects of life that are not immediately visible.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 奧 with other similar-sounding characters. For example, mixing it up with 澳洲 (Àozhōu), which means Australia. Remember that 奧 specifically relates to the concept of mystery, while 澳洲 refers to a place.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 奧
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Grammar Patterns of 奧
奧 carries one core meaning. 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 2
Complete the Sentence
都灵队以2比1赢了拉齐____队.
Torino notched up a 2 - 1 win at Lazio.
Example Sentences for 奧 (1)
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1
都灵队以2比1赢了拉齐奧队.
dū líng duì yǐ2 21 bǐ 1 yíng le lā qí.
Torino notched up a 2 - 1 win at Lazio.
Cultural Notes for 奧
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of mystery is often linked to traditional philosophies and practices, such as Taoism, which emphasizes understanding the profound aspects of life that are not immediately visible.
Word Family of 奧
Words Containing This Character18
奥àoAustria奧
奥运Olympic Games奧運
奥运会àoyùnhuìOlympic Games奧運會
奥斯卡(name) Oscar奧斯卡
奥迪Audi奧迪
奥地利Austria奧地利
奥林匹克Olympic奧林匹克
新奥尔良New Orleans, Louisiana新奧爾良
奥斯汀Austin, Texas奧斯汀
奥委会Olympic committee奧委會
冬奥会Winter Olympics冬奧會
奥秘àomìsecret奧祕
深奥shēnàoprofound深奧
奥克兰Auckland (New Zealand city)奧克蘭
奥妙marvelous奧妙
奥兰多Orlando奧蘭多
奥巴马Barack Obama (1961-), US Democrat politician, president 2009-2017奧巴馬
奥马哈Omaha奧馬哈
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 奥 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 奧
Common phrases include 奧秘 (àomì) meaning 'mystery' and 奧義 (àoyì) meaning 'profound meaning.'
It is more frequently used in formal writing or literature than in everyday spoken Mandarin.
You can remember it by linking the sound 'ào' to the word 'out' as in 'out of the ordinary,' which relates to its meaning of the mysterious and profound.
