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撮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
撮cuōdash, pinch, small amountv, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮cuōto pick up (a powder etc) with the fingertipsunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮cuōclassifier for hair or grass: tuftunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮cuōto scoop upunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮cuōto collect togetherunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮cuōto extractunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮cuōto gather upunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮cuōclassifier: pinchunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮zuǒdash, pinch, small amountv, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮zuǒto pick up (a powder etc) with the fingertipsunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮zuǒclassifier for hair or grass: tuftunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮zuǒto scoop upunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮zuǒto collect togetherunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮zuǒto extractunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮zuǒto gather upunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
撮zuǒclassifier: pinchunknown, 15 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23821, Very Hard
cuō(cuo1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1dash, pinch, small amount
  2. 2to pick up (a powder etc) with the fingertips
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

撮cuō(cuo1)

The character 撮 (cuō) primarily means to dash or pinch a small amount of something, often used in contexts where a handful or a tuft is involved. It can also refer to the action of scooping or gathering items together, making it useful in culinary or gardening discussions.

Strokes15Radical扌Frequency#23821DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, the method of using one's fingers to pinch seasonings is common and reflects a more hands-on approach to cooking compared to Western practices, where measuring tools are often preferred.

Memory Tip

Imagine you are using your fingers to pinch a small tuft of grass or herbs. The character 撮 has a hand-like radical (扌) on the left, emphasizing the action of using your hands, while the right side suggests a gathering motion. Picture yourself scooping up a pinch of spices with your fingers, symbolizing both the action and the meaning.

Meanings of 撮

cuō(cuo1)
primary
1dash, pinch, small amount
2to pick up (a powder etc) with the fingertips
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 撮

撮Simplified
15Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 撮

JasonAmy

Podcast: 撮

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 撮

Quick Contrast

捏 (niē) vs 摘 (zhāi) — use 撮 (cuō) when referring to gathering or pinching a small amount, while 捏 implies squeezing or pinching more firmly, and 摘 refers specifically to picking or plucking items.

Usage Notes

This verb is often used in informal contexts and can appear in culinary settings, such as '撮一撮盐' (pinch a bit of salt). Be cautious with the tones; 'cuō' has a flat tone, which can be confused with other words if mispronounced.

HSK Study Tips

While 撮 is not in the official HSK list, it connects well with other verbs related to actions (like 拿 ná - to take) that are essential at beginner levels. Focus on practicing its pronunciation and how it fits into cooking or gardening vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 撮 with similar-sounding characters like 挫 (cuò - to weaken). For example, saying '我撮了这个' (I pinched this) instead of '我撮了盐' (I pinched some salt) can lead to confusion about the context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 撮

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Etymology of 撮

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 最 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)最
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 撮

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 最 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half最 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 撮? 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 撮?

Decomposition of 撮

IDS Structure⿰扌最
撮Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
最zui4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 撮?

How to say dash, pinch, small amount in Chinese

“dash, pinch, small amount” in Chinese is撮cuō

The character 撮 (cuō) primarily means to dash or pinch a small amount of something, often used in contexts where a handful or a tuft is involved. It can also refer to the action of scooping or gathering items together, making it useful in culinary or gardening discussions.

When to use 撮

This verb is often used in informal contexts and can appear in culinary settings, such as '撮一撮盐' (pinch a bit of salt). Be cautious with the tones; 'cuō' has a flat tone, which can be confused with other words if mispronounced.

撮 or something close to it

捏 (niē) vs 摘 (zhāi) — use 撮 (cuō) when referring to gathering or pinching a small amount, while 捏 implies squeezing or pinching more firmly, and 摘 refers specifically to picking or plucking items.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 撮 with similar-sounding characters like 挫 (cuò - to weaken). For example, saying '我撮了这个' (I pinched this) instead of '我撮了盐' (I pinched some salt) can lead to confusion about the context.

Write 撮

撮

Practice writing 撮 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 撮

撮 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 8 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 3

Complete the Sentence

他下巴上有一小____胡须。

He had a small tuft of hair on his chin.

Example Sentences for 撮 (2)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他下巴上有一小撮胡须。

tā xià bā shàng yǒu yī xiǎo cuō hú xū。

He had a small tuft of hair on his chin.
2
他的头发几乎全掉光了, 只剩不稀疏的几撮.

tā de tóu fā jī hū quán diào guāng le, , zhī shèng bù xī shū de jī.

He was now almost totally bald, only a thin fringe of hair remaining.

Word Family of 撮

Words Containing This Character3
撮合to play matchmaker
一小撮handful (of)
撮cuōto scoop up
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 撮合 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 撮

It is pronounced as 'cuō' with a flat tone.

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