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诃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
诃hēto scold loudly, to curse, to abuseg, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #80596, Very Hard
诃hēto scoldunknown, 7 strokes, radical 讠, rank #80596, Very Hard
hē(he1)he T1
  1. 1to scold loudly, to curse, to abuse
  2. 2to scold
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March 24, 2026

诃(訶)hē(he1)

The character 诃 (hē) means to scold or curse loudly. It is often used in contexts where someone is reprimanding another person with strong words, reflecting a sense of anger or frustration. This character can convey a serious tone and is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

Strokes7Radical讠Frequency#80596DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, public reprimands were seen as a way to enforce social norms and moral behavior, reflecting the importance of maintaining harmony and proper conduct in society.

Memory tip

Imagine a loud bell (the radical 口, meaning 'mouth') ringing as someone scolds another person fervently. The sound of the bell represents the loudness of the scolding, helping you remember that 诃 (hē) relates to harsh words.

Meanings of 诃

hē(he1)
1to scold loudly, to curse, to abuse
2to scold
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 诃

诃Simplified
訶Traditional
7Strokes
讠Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 诃

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Podcast: 诃

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AI Study Notes for 诃

Usage Notes

Learners should be cautious not to confuse 诃 with similar-sounding words that have lighter meanings, as this term carries a heavier emotional weight. It is more appropriate in formal or literary contexts than in casual conversation. Common collocations include 诃斥 (hēchì), meaning to scold severely.

HSK Study Tips

While 诃 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other HSK words related to communication and expression. Students should focus on the emotional context of scolding words and how they can be used to express frustration or authority in conversations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 诃 with other words meaning to speak or talk, such as 说 (shuō). For example, saying '我会诃他' (Wǒ huì hē tā) instead of '我会说他' (Wǒ huì shuō tā) can lead to misunderstandings, as it implies a harsh reprimand rather than a simple conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 诃

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Etymology of 诃

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 可 represents the sound. Simplified form of 訶.

Memory hint

speech

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

Origin

诃 = 讠 + 可. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 诃

IDS Structure⿰讠可
诃Full character
=
讠yan2
left
可ke3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 诃?

How to say to scold loudly, to curse, to abuse in Chinese

“to scold loudly, to curse, to abuse” in Chinese is诃hē

The character 诃 (hē) means to scold or curse loudly. It is often used in contexts where someone is reprimanding another person with strong words, reflecting a sense of anger or frustration. This character can convey a serious tone and is not commonly used in everyday conversation.

When to use 诃

Learners should be cautious not to confuse 诃 with similar-sounding words that have lighter meanings, as this term carries a heavier emotional weight. It is more appropriate in formal or literary contexts than in casual conversation. Common collocations include 诃斥 (hēchì), meaning to scold severely.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 诃 with other words meaning to speak or talk, such as 说 (shuō). For example, saying '我会诃他' (Wǒ huì hē tā) instead of '我会说他' (Wǒ huì shuō tā) can lead to misunderstandings, as it implies a harsh reprimand rather than a simple conversation.

Write 诃

诃

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

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Grammar Patterns of 诃

诃 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

堂吉____德—塞万提斯巨著中与书同名的主人公

Don Quixote, eponymous hero of the great novel by Cervantes

Example Sentences for 诃 (1)

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1
堂吉诃德—塞万提斯巨著中与书同名的主人公

táng jí hē dé— sāi wàn tí Sī jù zhe zhōng yǔ shū tóng míng de zhǔréngōng

Don Quixote, eponymous hero of the great novel by Cervantes

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Word Family of 诃

Words containing this character5
诃hēto scold訶
堂吉诃德Don Quixote堂吉訶德
契诃夫Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904), Russian writer famous for his short stories and plays契訶夫
唐吉诃德Don Quixote唐吉訶德
诃子chebulic myrobalan (Terminalia chebula)訶子
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 诃

What does 堂吉诃德 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 诃

No, 诃 is more formal and less common in everyday speech, reserved for serious reprimands.

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