Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
詬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
詬gòuto abuse, to scold; to berate, to insultx, 13 strokes, radical 言
gòu(gou4) T4
  1. 1to abuse, to scold; to berate, to insult
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

詬gòu(gou4)

The character 詬 (gòu) refers to the act of scolding or berating someone, often in a harsh or abusive manner. It is typically used in contexts where strong criticism is directed towards someone's actions or character. This term can convey a sense of indignation or disapproval.

Strokes13Radical言
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, public scolding can be seen as a significant loss of face, both for the person being scolded and the one doing the scolding. Thus, understanding the social implications of using 詬 is important.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person loudly scolding someone in a crowded market, their voice echoing off the walls like a 'gōu' sound. The character itself has the speech radical 讠 on the left, indicating it's related to words or speech, while the right side suggests a strong action, reinforcing the meaning of harsh verbal abuse.

Meanings of 詬

gòu(gou4)
1to abuse, to scold; to berate, to insult
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 詬

詬Simplified
13Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 詬

JasonAmy

Podcast: 詬

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 詬

Quick Contrast

谴 (qiǎn) - use 詬 (gòu) when emphasizing harshness in scolding, while 谴 (qiǎn) focuses more on formal condemnation.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 詬 (gòu) with other similar-sounding words that have softer meanings. It is considered quite formal and strong, so it is typically used in serious contexts rather than casual conversations. Common collocations include '詬病' (gòu bìng), meaning to criticize someone severely.

HSK Study Tips

Though詬 (gòu) is not included in HSK levels, learners at the advanced level should focus on understanding its nuances, especially in literary or formal texts. Connecting this word with other terms related to criticism or negative feedback can enhance vocabulary retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 詬 (gòu) with 夸 (kuā), which means to praise. For example, saying '我詬你' (wǒ gòu nǐ) instead of '我夸你' (wǒ kuā nǐ) would incorrectly imply that you are scolding someone instead of complimenting them.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 詬

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 詬 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 詬

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

speech

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 詬

  1. 1The meaning half言 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half后 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayspeech
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 詬? 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 詬?

Decomposition of 詬

IDS Structure⿰言后
詬Full Character
=
言yan2
left
后Hou4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 詬?

How to say to abuse, to scold; to berate, to insult in Chinese

“to abuse, to scold; to berate, to insult” in Chinese is詬gòu

The character 詬 (gòu) refers to the act of scolding or berating someone, often in a harsh or abusive manner. It is typically used in contexts where strong criticism is directed towards someone's actions or character. This term can convey a sense of indignation or disapproval.

When to use 詬

Be careful not to confuse 詬 (gòu) with other similar-sounding words that have softer meanings. It is considered quite formal and strong, so it is typically used in serious contexts rather than casual conversations. Common collocations include '詬病' (gòu bìng), meaning to criticize someone severely.

詬 or something close to it

谴 (qiǎn) - use 詬 (gòu) when emphasizing harshness in scolding, while 谴 (qiǎn) focuses more on formal condemnation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 詬 (gòu) with 夸 (kuā), which means to praise. For example, saying '我詬你' (wǒ gòu nǐ) instead of '我夸你' (wǒ kuā nǐ) would incorrectly imply that you are scolding someone instead of complimenting them.

Write 詬

詬

Practice writing 詬 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 詬

Words Containing This Character2
诟gòudisgrace詬
诟病to denounce詬病
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 诟 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 詬

No, it is more often found in written language or formal speeches.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 詬?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.