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March 24, 2026
祸(旤)huò(huo4)
The character 祸 (huò) refers to disaster, misfortune, or calamity. It is often used in contexts discussing unfortunate events or negative outcomes, emphasizing the severity of the situation. This term can also appear in idiomatic expressions that convey the idea of impending danger or bad luck.
Strokes11Radical礻Frequency#6527DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 祸 is often tied to fate and the belief that misfortune can be a result of one’s actions or moral standing. This idea is reflected in traditional sayings and proverbs warning against bad behavior that might lead to calamity.
Memory Tip
Imagine a storm cloud (the radical 示, meaning 'to show') looming over a village, bringing disaster. The character 祸 looks like a 'show of misfortune'—with the cloud representing the calamity and the 'huò' sound reminding you of the bad weather that brings it.
Meanings of 祸
huò(huo4)
1disaster
2misfortune
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 祸
祸Simplified
旤Traditional
11Strokes
礻Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#6527Frequency Rank
Podcast: 祸
Podcast: 祸
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AI Study Notes for 祸
Quick Contrast
灾 (zāi) — use 祸 (huò) when emphasizing personal misfortune or calamity, while 灾 (zāi) typically refers to natural disasters or large-scale calamities.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a storm cloud (the radical 示, meaning 'to show') looming over a village, bringing disaster. The character 祸 looks like a 'show of misfortune'—with the cloud representing the calamity and the 'huò' sound reminding you of the bad weather that brings it.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 祸 with 禍 (huò), which is a more commonly used character for the same meaning in modern contexts. It is generally informal, and you may encounter it in discussions of fate or bad luck. Common collocations include 祸害 (huòhài), meaning 'disaster' or 'harm'.
HSK Study Tips
While 祸 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with HSK Level 4 words like 灾难 (zāinàn), meaning 'disaster'. Students should focus on understanding how it is used in context and familiarize themselves with similar words to expand their vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 祸 is often tied to fate and the belief that misfortune can be a result of one’s actions or moral standing. This idea is reflected in traditional sayings and proverbs warning against bad behavior that might lead to calamity.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 祸 in formal writing instead of 禍. For example, saying '这次会议的祸是不可避免的' (The misfortune of this meeting is unavoidable) should be corrected to '这次会议的禍是不可避免的'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 祸
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Grammar Patterns of 祸
祸 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 6 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 5
Complete the Sentence
我看见人们出洋相并不幸灾乐____。
I find no pleasure in seeing people make asses of themselves.
Everyone is working flat out to try to trap those responsible.
3
他称毒品是这个时代最大的祸害。
tā chēng dú pǐn shì zhè gè shí dài zuì dà de huò hài。
He described drugs as the greatest calamity of the age.
4
这孩子老给父母招灾惹祸.
zhè hái zǐ lǎo gěi fù mǔ zhāo zāi rě huò.
This child is always making trouble for his parents.
5
有十来个人在看着她，对她不安的样子幸灾乐祸地笑着。
yǒu shí lái gè rén zài kàn zháo tā， ， duì tā bù ān de yàng zǐ xìng zāi lè huò dì xiào。
A dozen people were watching her, smirking at her discomfort.
6
人有旦夕祸福, 月有阴晴圆缺.
rén yǒu dàn xī huò fú, , yuè yǒu yīn qíng yuán.
Men are subject to sudden changes of fortune as the moon is subject to the changes of being full and crescent, cloudy and clear.
7
现在想想看，你都做了些什么，闯了多少祸！
xiàn zài xiǎng xiǎng kàn， ， nǐ dū zuò le xiē shí， mó ， chuǎng le duō！
When I think of how you've behaved and the trouble you've got into!
8
“ 祸是他们自己闯的, 你对不起谁呀?
“ “ huò shì tā mén zì jǐ chuǎng, de , nǐ duì bù qǐ?
" They've brought this on themselves, you haven't let them down.
9
他马上就知道他闯了大祸,得罪了人.
tā mǎ shàng jiù zhī dào tā chuǎng le dà huò, , dé zuì le.
Immediately he thought he had committed a fatal offense.
10
但是因祸得福：我恢复了健康，并娶了那所医院护理我的一位护士。
dàn shì yīn huò dé fú： ： wǒ huī fù le jiàn， kāng ， bìng qǔ le nà suǒ yī yuàn hù lǐ wǒ de yī wèi。
But it's an ill wind; I recovered and married one of my nurses from that hospital.
Cultural Notes for 祸
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of 祸 is often tied to fate and the belief that misfortune can be a result of one’s actions or moral standing. This idea is reflected in traditional sayings and proverbs warning against bad behavior that might lead to calamity.
Word Family of 祸
Words Containing This Character20
车祸chēhuòcar crash車禍
祸huòdisaster禍
祸害huòhaidisaster禍害
罪魁祸首zuìkuíhuòshǒufig. main cause of a disaster罪魁禍首
幸灾乐祸Schadenfreude幸災樂禍
闯祸to make trouble闖禍
惹祸rěhuòto stir up trouble惹禍
灾祸disaster災禍
祸水source of calamity (esp. of women)禍水
祸根root of the trouble禍根
大祸disaster大禍
祸不单行it never rains but it pours禍不單行
天灾人祸natural calamities and man-made disasters (idiom)天災人禍
人祸human disaster人禍
祸国殃民to damage the country and cause suffering to the people (idiom)禍國殃民
横祸unexpected calamity橫禍
祸事disaster禍事
惨祸terrible tragedy慘禍
祸首chief offender禍首
祸患disaster禍患
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 车祸 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 祸
Common phrases include 祸害 (huòhài) meaning 'disaster' and 祸不单行 (huò bù dān xíng) meaning 'misfortunes never come alone'.
You can use it like this: '这场事故带来了很大的祸' (This accident brought a great misfortune).
祸 is primarily used in informal contexts; formal writing often prefers 禍.
