to thresh, to pound; to stir, to disturb; to attack
x, 13 strokes, radical 扌, Very Hard
dǎo(dao3) T3
1to thresh, to pound; to stir, to disturb; to attack
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March 24, 2026
搗dǎo(dao3)
The character 搗 (dǎo) primarily means 'to pound' or 'to thresh', often used in the context of food preparation, such as pounding rice or spices. It also conveys the idea of stirring or disturbing something, and can imply a sense of attacking or causing disruption in certain contexts. This word is commonly used in cooking or discussions about physical actions.
Strokes13Radical扌Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, the act of pounding ingredients is essential for creating textures and flavors, such as in making sauces or traditional dishes like rice cakes. This reflects the importance of hands-on preparation in Chinese cooking culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef vigorously pounding rice with a pestle. The character 搗 consists of the radical 扌 (shǒu), meaning 'hand', combined with the character 讨 (tǎo), which can suggest negotiation or stirring up trouble. Visualize a hand (扌) attacking (or pounding) something to create a dish, helping you remember both the form and meaning.
Meanings of 搗
dǎo(dao3)
1to thresh, to pound; to stir, to disturb; to attack
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 搗
搗Simplified
13Strokes
扌Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 搗
Podcast: 搗
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AI Study Notes for 搗
Quick Contrast
捣 (dǎo) vs 搅 (jiǎo) — use 搗 (dǎo) for 'pound' or 'thresh', while 捣 (dǎo) implies 'stir' or 'agitate'.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a chef vigorously pounding rice with a pestle. The character 搗 consists of the radical 扌 (shǒu), meaning 'hand', combined with the character 讨 (tǎo), which can suggest negotiation or stirring up trouble. Visualize a hand (扌) attacking (or pounding) something to create a dish, helping you remember both the form and meaning.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 搗 with similar characters like 打 (dǎ), which means 'to hit' rather than 'to pound'. The usage is usually informal, often relating to cooking or physical actions. Be mindful of the third tone (dǎo) as it can be easily confused with other tones, changing the meaning.
HSK Study Tips
As this character is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, learners should focus on its application in culinary contexts and physical actions. It connects with other cooking-related vocabulary and can help build a thematic understanding of food preparation in Chinese language learning.
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, the act of pounding ingredients is essential for creating textures and flavors, such as in making sauces or traditional dishes like rice cakes. This reflects the importance of hands-on preparation in Chinese cooking culture.
Common Mistakes
Learners often write 搗 as 打 (dǎ) when referring to pounding. Remember that 搗 specifically relates to the action of 'pounding' or 'threshing', while 打 is more general for 'hitting' or 'striking'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 搗
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Cultural Notes for 搗
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese cuisine, the act of pounding ingredients is essential for creating textures and flavors, such as in making sauces or traditional dishes like rice cakes. This reflects the importance of hands-on preparation in Chinese cooking culture.
Word Family of 搗
Words Containing This Character12
捣乱dǎoluànto disturb搗亂
捣dǎopound搗
捣蛋to cause trouble搗蛋
捣毁to destroy搗毀
捣鼓to fiddle with sth搗鼓
捣鬼to play tricks搗鬼
捣碎to mash搗碎
直捣to storm直搗
捣腾peddling搗騰
直捣黄龙lit. to directly attack Huanglong直搗黃龍
捣弄to trade搗弄
磕头如捣蒜lit. to kowtow like grinding garlic (idiom)磕頭如搗蒜
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 捣乱 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 搗
It's often used to describe the action of pounding or grinding ingredients, indicating techniques needed to prepare certain dishes.
Yes, it can imply stirring up trouble or attacking in a metaphorical context.
Make sure to use the third tone (dǎo), as incorrect tones can lead to misunderstandings.
