Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
怒nù(nu4)
The character 怒 (nù) primarily means 'anger' or 'fury'. It conveys intense emotions related to displeasure or rage, often used in contexts where someone is expressing strong feelings of frustration or irritation. Additionally, it can imply a sense of vigorousness or flourishing in certain phrases.
Strokes9Radical心Frequency#5358DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, expressing anger publicly is often seen as a loss of face, making the concept of anger more complex. The character can be used in literature and art to depict intense emotions, reflecting the value placed on emotional control.
Memory Tip
Imagine someone with a face twisted in anger, their brows furrowed like a stormy sky. The character 怒 combines the radical for 'heart' (心) and 'anger' (怒) which can remind you that anger often comes from the heart. Picture a heart that is boiling over with emotions, leading to the sound 'nù'.
Meanings of 怒
nù(nu4)
1anger
2fury
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 怒
怒Simplified
9Strokes
心Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#5358Frequency Rank
Podcast: 怒
Podcast: 怒
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 怒
Quick Contrast
愤怒 (fèn nù) vs 生气 (shēng qì) — use 怒 for more intense or formal expressions of anger, while 生气 is more casual.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 怒; it is pronounced with a falling tone (nù). It is often used in more serious or formal contexts when discussing emotions, rather than casual conversations. Phrases like '愤怒' (fènnù) or '怒火' (nùhuǒ) can help in expanding vocabulary related to anger.
HSK Study Tips
Though 怒 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it's relevant for learners at HSK 4 and above, especially when discussing emotions. Students should focus on using it in context, such as in sentences expressing feelings to strengthen their understanding and usage.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 怒 (nù) with 愤 (fèn), which also means 'anger' but has a slightly different connotation. For example, saying '我很愤' is incorrect; instead, use '我很愤怒' (wǒ hěn fènnù) for clarity.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 怒
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 怒 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 奴 represents the sound.
1The meaning half心 carries the sense.
2The sound half奴 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 怒? 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 怒?
Decomposition of 怒
IDS Structure⿱奴心
怒Full Character
=
奴nu2
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 怒?
How to say anger in Chinese
“anger” in Chinese is怒nù
The character 怒 (nù) primarily means 'anger' or 'fury'. It conveys intense emotions related to displeasure or rage, often used in contexts where someone is expressing strong feelings of frustration or irritation. Additionally, it can imply a sense of vigorousness or flourishing in certain phrases.
When to use 怒
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 怒; it is pronounced with a falling tone (nù). It is often used in more serious or formal contexts when discussing emotions, rather than casual conversations. Phrases like '愤怒' (fènnù) or '怒火' (nùhuǒ) can help in expanding vocabulary related to anger.
怒 or something close to it
愤怒 (fèn nù) vs 生气 (shēng qì) — use 怒 for more intense or formal expressions of anger, while 生气 is more casual.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 怒 (nù) with 愤 (fèn), which also means 'anger' but has a slightly different connotation. For example, saying '我很愤' is incorrect; instead, use '我很愤怒' (wǒ hěn fènnù) for clarity.
Write 怒
怒
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 怒 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 怒
怒 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 5 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.
