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毆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
毆ōuto hit, to beat, to fight with fistsx, 15 strokes, radical 殳
ōu(ou1) T1
  1. 1to hit, to beat, to fight with fists
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

毆ōu(ou1)

The character 毆 (ōu) means to hit or beat someone, specifically with fists. It is often used in contexts related to physical violence or fighting, such as in discussions about brawls or altercations. This character conveys a sense of aggression and is typically used in informal settings.

Strokes15Radical殳
Cultural Note

In Chinese society, physical confrontations are generally frowned upon, and the use of the character 毆 reflects the seriousness of violence. Discussions about fighting often involve moral considerations, highlighting the importance of maintaining harmony.

Memory Tip

Imagine a boxer throwing a punch ('ōu' sounds like 'oh' when you get hit). The left side of the character 毆 resembles a fist, and the right side shows a person being hit, helping you visualize the action of hitting.

Meanings of 毆

ōu(ou1)
1to hit, to beat, to fight with fists
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 毆

毆Simplified
15Strokes
殳Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 毆

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Podcast: 毆

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AI Study Notes for 毆

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using 毆, as it carries a negative connotation and is considered informal. Common collocations include '毆打' (ōudǎ, to beat someone) and '毆鬥' (ōudòu, to fight). Avoid using it in formal contexts or when discussing non-violent interactions.

HSK Study Tips

Although 毆 is not on the HSK list, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to violence or conflict. Focus on memorizing its pronunciation and common phrases that include this character, which may appear in more advanced dialogues.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 毆 with 打, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我毆他' (Wǒ ōu tā) is correct, but using '我打他' (Wǒ dǎ tā) might be too general, depending on the context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 毆

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Etymology of 毆

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

Phonosemantic compound. 殳 represents the meaning and 区 represents the sound. Simplified form of 毆.

Memory Hint

weapon

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 毆

Phonosemantic compound. 殳 represents the meaning and 区 represents the sound. Simplified form of 毆.

  1. 1The meaning half殳 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half區 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayweapon
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 毆? 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 毆?

Decomposition of 毆

IDS Structure⿰區殳
毆Full Character
=
區qu1
left
殳Shu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 毆?

How to say to hit, to beat, to fight with fists in Chinese

“to hit, to beat, to fight with fists” in Chinese is毆ōu

The character 毆 (ōu) means to hit or beat someone, specifically with fists. It is often used in contexts related to physical violence or fighting, such as in discussions about brawls or altercations. This character conveys a sense of aggression and is typically used in informal settings.

When to use 毆

Be cautious when using 毆, as it carries a negative connotation and is considered informal. Common collocations include '毆打' (ōudǎ, to beat someone) and '毆鬥' (ōudòu, to fight). Avoid using it in formal contexts or when discussing non-violent interactions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 毆 with 打, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我毆他' (Wǒ ōu tā) is correct, but using '我打他' (Wǒ dǎ tā) might be too general, depending on the context.

Write 毆

毆

Practice writing 毆 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 毆

Words Containing This Character4
殴打ōudǎto beat up毆打
斗殴to fight鬥毆
殴Ōuto beat up毆
殴斗brawl毆鬥
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 殴打 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 毆

打 (dǎ) means to hit or strike in a more general sense, while 毆 (ōu) specifically refers to hitting with fists and implies violence.

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