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澳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
澳àobay, cove, dock, inletns, 15 strokes, radical 氵, rank #11716, Hard
澳àoabbr. for Macao 澳門|澳门unknown, 15 strokes, radical 氵, rank #11716, Hard
澳àoabbr. for Australia 澳大利亞|澳大利亚unknown, 15 strokes, radical 氵, rank #11716, Hard
澳àoharborunknown, 15 strokes, radical 氵, rank #11716, Hard
ào(Ao4) T4
  1. 1bay, cove, dock, inlet
  2. 2abbr. for Macao 澳門|澳门
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
澳ào(Ao4)

The character 澳 (ào) primarily means 'bay' or 'cove' and is often used to refer to locations with water bodies, such as inlets or docks. It can also serve as an abbreviation for Macao (澳门) and Australia (澳大利亚), highlighting its geographical significance.

Strokes15Radical氵Frequency#11716DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

Macao is known for its unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultures, and its name includes the character 澳, signifying its coastal heritage. The bay areas in China often hold cultural significance, serving as historical trade routes.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 澳 (ào) as a boat (the radical 氵 representing water) sitting in a protective cove or bay. Imagine a boat docking in a calm inlet, and you can hear the 'A' sound of 'ao' as the waves gently lap against the hull.

Meanings of 澳

ào(Ao4)
1bay, cove, dock, inlet
2abbr. for Macao 澳門|澳门
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 澳

澳Simplified
15Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 澳

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Podcast: 澳

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AI Study Notes for 澳

Memory Mnemonic

Think of the character 澳 (ào) as a boat (the radical 氵 representing water) sitting in a protective cove or bay. Imagine a boat docking in a calm inlet, and you can hear the 'A' sound of 'ao' as the waves gently lap against the hull.

Usage Notes

This character is more commonly used in geographical contexts and may not be familiar in everyday conversations. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar characters like 洲 (zhōu), which means 'continent' or 'island.' The tone is crucial; mispronouncing it as 'aò' can change its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 澳 is not included in HSK levels, it connects well with HSK 3 vocabulary related to geography and travel. Students should focus on recognizing it in context, especially when learning about places in China and abroad.

Cultural Note

Macao is known for its unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultures, and its name includes the character 澳, signifying its coastal heritage. The bay areas in China often hold cultural significance, serving as historical trade routes.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 澳 (ào) with similar-sounding characters, resulting in incorrect usage. For example, saying 澳洲 (àozhōu) when referring to Australia is incorrect; the proper term is 澳大利亚 (àodàlìyà).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 澳

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Etymology of 澳

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

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 奥 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)奥
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 澳?

Decomposition of 澳

IDS Structure⿰氵奥
澳Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
奥Ao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 澳?

Write 澳

澳

Practice writing 澳 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 澳

澳 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 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

这家航空公司亏损达3,500万美元，而____航出资帮助其摆脱了困境。

The airline had losses of $35m and was bailed out by Qantas.

Example Sentences for 澳 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这家航空公司亏损达3,500万美元，而澳航出资帮助其摆脱了困境。

zhè jiā háng kōng gōng sī kuī sǔn dá3,500 3,500 wàn měi， yuán ， ér ào háng chū zī bāng zhù qí bǎi tuō le。

The airline had losses of $35m and was bailed out by Qantas.
2
澳大利亚的英式橄榄球联盟队创纪录地赢了法国队。

ào dà lì yà de yīng shì gǎn lǎn qiú lián méng duì chuàng jì lù dì yíng le fǎ guó duì。

Australia's rugby union side enjoyed a record-breaking win over France.
3
他趁澳大利亚的休赛期在意大利执教并参加比赛。

tā chèn ào dà lì yà de xiū sài qī zài yì dà lì zhí jiào bìng cān jiā bǐ sài。

He has coached and played in Italy during the Australian off-season.
4
这个澳大利亚人承受着断指之痛。

zhè gè ào dà lì yà rén chéng shòu zháo duàn zhǐ zhī tòng。

The Aussie was in agony with a broken finger.
5
对澳大利亚的那份工作，休的态度很坚决。

duì ào dà lì yà de nà fèn gōng zuò， ， xiū de tài dù hěn jiān。

Sue was adamant about that job in Australia.
6
那是地道的澳大利亚婚礼。

nà shì dì dào de ào dà lì yà hūn lǐ。

It's a fair dinkum Aussie wedding.
7
这场纠纷可能会让澳大利亚劳资关系稳定这一来之不易的名声毁于一旦。

zhè cháng jiū fēn kě néng huì ràng ào dà lì yà láo zī guān xì wěn dìng zhè yī lái zhī bù yì de míng shēng huǐ yú yī dàn。

The dispute could destroy Australia's hard-won reputation for industrial stability.
8
轮到澳大利亚队出场击球，他们开始打得很谨慎。

lún dào ào dà lì yà duì chū cháng jī qiú， ， tā mén kāi shǐ dǎ dé hěn jǐn。

Australia, put in to bat, made a cautious start.
9
这次巡回赛将包括和澳大利亚野人队的比赛。

zhè cì xún huí sài jiāng bāo kuò hé ào dà lì yà yě rén duì de bǐ sài。

The tour will include games against the Australian Barbarians.
10
到了澳大利亚后我要去浪头更大的地方冲浪！

dào le ào dà lì yà hòu wǒ yào qù làng tóu gēng dà de dì fāng chōng làng！

I'm going to be surfing bigger waves when I get to Australia!

Cultural Notes for 澳

🏮Cultural insight

Macao is known for its unique blend of Chinese and Portuguese cultures, and its name includes the character 澳, signifying its coastal heritage. The bay areas in China often hold cultural significance, serving as historical trade routes.

Word Family of 澳

Words Containing This Character20
澳大利亚Australia澳大利亞
澳洲Australia
澳àocove
澳门Macao澳門
港澳Hong Kong 香港 and Macao 澳門|澳门
澳元Australian dollar
港澳台Hong Kong 香港, Macao 澳門|澳门 and Taiwan 臺灣|台湾[Tái​wān]港澳臺
港澳地区Hong Kong and Macao area港澳地區
南澳Nan'ao County in Shantou 汕頭|汕头[Shàn​tóu], Guangdong
澳大利亚联邦Commonwealth of Australia澳大利亞聯邦
澳币Australian dollar澳幣
苏澳Su'ao town in Yilan county 宜蘭縣|宜兰县[Yí​lán​xiàn], Taiwan蘇澳
南澳岛Nan'ao Island in Shantou 汕頭|汕头[Shàn​tóu], Guangdong南澳島
南澳县Nan'ao County in Shantou 汕頭|汕头[Shàn​tóu], Guangdong南澳縣
澳门国际机场Macau International Airport澳門國際機場
澳门市Municipality of Macau澳門市
澳洲广播电台Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Australian state-run broadcaster澳洲廣播電臺
澳大利亚洲Australia澳大利亞洲
澳新军团Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC)澳新軍團
苏澳镇Su'ao town in Yilan county 宜蘭縣|宜兰县[Yí​lán​xiàn], Taiwan蘇澳鎮
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 澳大利亚 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 澳

It is pronounced as 'ào' with a falling tone.