to thresh, to pound; to stir, to disturb; to attack
v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #11787, Very Hard
dǎo(dao3) T3
1pound
2beat
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March 24, 2026
捣(搗)dǎo(dao3)
The character 捣 (dǎo) primarily means 'to pound' or 'to beat', often in the context of food preparation, such as pounding garlic or spices. It can also imply disturbing or stirring something, like ingredients in a pot. In a broader sense, it can refer to an attack or an aggressive action.
Strokes10Radical扌Frequency#11787DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, pounding ingredients is a traditional technique used to enhance flavors, which highlights the importance of texture and freshness in food preparation. This method is often seen in dishes like chili paste or sauces.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef using a mortar and pestle to 'pound' spices. The left part of the character, 手 (shǒu), means 'hand', and the right part, 捣, resembles a hand pounding something down. Visualize your hand striking down to remember both the action and the pronunciation 'dǎo'.
Meanings of 捣
dǎo(dao3)
1pound
2beat
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 捣
捣Simplified
搗Traditional
10Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#11787Frequency Rank
Podcast: 捣
Podcast: 捣
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AI Study Notes for 捣
Quick Contrast
捣 (dǎo) vs 打 (dǎ) — use 捣 for food preparation contexts, while 打 is more general for hitting or striking.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 捣 (dǎo), as using the wrong tone can lead to confusion with other words. It is commonly used in both informal cooking contexts and more formal discussions about food preparation. Common collocations include 捣蒜 (dǎo suàn - to pound garlic) and 捣蛋 (dǎo dàn - to stir up trouble).
HSK Study Tips
While 捣 is not included in HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to words in HSK levels 3 and 4 that deal with cooking and actions. Students should focus on its application in everyday cooking contexts and practice using it in sentences.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 捣 (dǎo) with 打 (dǎ), which also means 'to hit' but is used in different contexts. For example, saying '我捣球' (wǒ dǎo qiú) instead of '我打球' (wǒ dǎ qiú - I play ball) is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 捣
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Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 岛 represents the sound. Simplified form of 搗.
1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
2The sound half岛 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayhand
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 捣? 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 捣?
Decomposition of 捣
IDS Structure⿰扌岛
捣Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
岛dao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 捣?
How to say pound in Chinese
“pound” in Chinese is捣dǎo
The character 捣 (dǎo) primarily means 'to pound' or 'to beat', often in the context of food preparation, such as pounding garlic or spices. It can also imply disturbing or stirring something, like ingredients in a pot. In a broader sense, it can refer to an attack or an aggressive action.
When to use 捣
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 捣 (dǎo), as using the wrong tone can lead to confusion with other words. It is commonly used in both informal cooking contexts and more formal discussions about food preparation. Common collocations include 捣蒜 (dǎo suàn - to pound garlic) and 捣蛋 (dǎo dàn - to stir up trouble).
捣 or something close to it
捣 (dǎo) vs 打 (dǎ) — use 捣 for food preparation contexts, while 打 is more general for hitting or striking.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 捣 (dǎo) with 打 (dǎ), which also means 'to hit' but is used in different contexts. For example, saying '我捣球' (wǒ dǎo qiú) instead of '我打球' (wǒ dǎ qiú - I play ball) is incorrect.
Write 捣
捣
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Practice writing 捣 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 捣
捣 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 7 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
孩子们调皮____蛋的时候她管不了。
When the children misbehaved she was unable to cope.
Example Sentences for 捣 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
孩子们调皮捣蛋的时候她管不了。
hái zǐ mén tiáo pí dǎo dàn de shí hòu tā guǎn bù le。
When the children misbehaved she was unable to cope.
2
一伙暴徒捣毁了警察设置的路障冲进法庭。
yī huǒ bào tú dǎo huǐ le jǐng chá shè zhì de lù zhàng chōng jìn fǎ tíng。
An unruly mob broke down police barricades and stormed the courtroom.
