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March 24, 2026
恼(惱)nǎo(nao3)
The character 恼 (nǎo) means to get angry or to be wrathful. It is commonly used to describe feelings of annoyance or irritation, often in a context where someone is upset due to a specific incident or behavior. This character conveys a sense of emotional disturbance and is often used in both spoken and written Chinese to express discontent.
Strokes9Radical忄Frequency#22422DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, showing anger openly can be seen as losing face, so the word 恼 often ties into discussions about emotional restraint and social harmony, reflecting a cultural preference for maintaining peace rather than expressing anger.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'naughty' child causing annoyance (恼) to their parents. The character looks like a person with a furrowed brow, indicating anger, while the left side (忄) represents emotions, reminding you that this word deals with feelings of anger.
Meanings of 恼
nǎo(nao3)
1to get angry
2angry, wrathful
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 恼
恼Simplified
惱Traditional
9Strokes
忄Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#22422Frequency Rank
Podcast: 恼
Podcast: 恼
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AI Study Notes for 恼
Quick Contrast
恼 (nǎo) vs 生气 (shēngqì) — use 恼 for a more nuanced sense of annoyance linked to specific incidents, while 生气 is a broader term for anger.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 恼; it has a falling tone (nǎo) that can change the meaning if mispronounced. This word is generally used in informal contexts, and common collocations include 恼火 (nǎo huǒ - to get angry) and 恼怒 (nǎo nù - wrathful).
HSK Study Tips
Although 恼 is not included in the HSK levels, it is useful for students at HSK 3 or 4 as it connects to emotions, a common theme in daily conversations. Students should focus on its usage in contexts of frustration or anger.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 恼 with other words for anger like 生气. For example, saying '我恼他的行为' instead of '我生气他的行为' (I am angry about his behavior) is incorrect; use 生气 for a more common expression.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 恼
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How Well Do You Know 恼?
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Learning Lab
Knowing 恼 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.
The character 恼 (nǎo) means to get angry or to be wrathful. It is commonly used to describe feelings of annoyance or irritation, often in a context where someone is upset due to a specific incident or behavior. This character conveys a sense of emotional disturbance and is often used in both spoken and written Chinese to express discontent.
When to use 恼
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 恼; it has a falling tone (nǎo) that can change the meaning if mispronounced. This word is generally used in informal contexts, and common collocations include 恼火 (nǎo huǒ - to get angry) and 恼怒 (nǎo nù - wrathful).
恼 or something close to it
恼 (nǎo) vs 生气 (shēngqì) — use 恼 for a more nuanced sense of annoyance linked to specific incidents, while 生气 is a broader term for anger.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 恼 with other words for anger like 生气. For example, saying '我恼他的行为' instead of '我生气他的行为' (I am angry about his behavior) is incorrect; use 生气 for a more common expression.
Write 恼
恼
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Grammar Patterns of 恼
恼 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
The president was clearly exasperated by the whole saga.
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Word Family of 恼
Words Containing This Character14
烦恼fánnǎoto be worried煩惱
苦恼kǔnǎovexed苦惱
恼火nǎohuǒto get angry惱火
恼nǎoto get angry惱
惹恼to offend惹惱
恼怒resentful惱怒
懊恼annoyed懊惱
恼人annoying惱人
恼羞成怒nǎoxiūchéngnùto fly into a rage out of humiliation惱羞成怒
自寻烦恼to bring trouble on oneself (idiom)自尋煩惱
气恼to be annoyed氣惱
恼恨to hate and resent惱恨
羞恼resentful羞惱
可恼aggravating可惱
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 恼
What does 烦恼 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 恼
Some synonyms for 恼 include 生气 (shēngqì), which means to be angry, and 愤怒 (fènnù), meaning furious. Using these words can add variety to your expression of anger in Chinese.
While 恼 is commonly used in spoken language, it may not be suitable for formal writing. In such contexts, it's better to use more formal expressions of anger, such as 愤怒 (fènnù).
恼 (nǎo) means to get angry or to be wrathful. It describes a state of being upset or irritated. This character can be used in various contexts where feelings of anger are expressed.
You can use 恼 in a sentence like '他很恼火' (Tā hěn nǎohuǒ), which means 'He is very angry.' It is often used to convey irritation or annoyance in everyday conversations.
You can say '我对他的行为感到很恼火' (I feel very angry about his behavior).
No, 恼 is more commonly used in informal spoken contexts rather than formal writing.
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