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黩 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
黩dúto dishonor, to defile, to corrupt; soiledv, 20 strokes, radical 黑
黩dúblackenunknown, 20 strokes, radical 黑
黩dúconstantlyunknown, 20 strokes, radical 黑
黩dúto insultunknown, 20 strokes, radical 黑
dú(du2)du T2
  1. 1to dishonor, to defile, to corrupt; soiled
  2. 2blacken
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March 24, 2026

黩(黷)dú(du2)

The character 黩 (dú) refers to actions that dishonor, defile, or corrupt something. It is often used in contexts where moral or ethical standards are compromised, leading to a tarnished reputation or integrity. This term may also imply a continuous or habitual aspect of the action, as in 'constantly insulting' or 'perpetually corrupting.'

Strokes20Radical黑
Cultural note

The concept of dishonor is significant in Chinese culture, particularly in terms of family reputation and social standing. Actions that lead to defilement can have lasting impacts on one's lineage and are seen as a serious offense.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'duke' (sounds like 'dú') who constantly blackens his reputation by acting dishonorably. The character 黩 has the radical for 'black' (黑) at its core, symbolizing the act of staining something pure with dishonor.

Meanings of 黩

dú(du2)
1to dishonor, to defile, to corrupt; soiled
2blacken
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 黩

黩Simplified
黷Traditional
20Strokes
黑Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 黩

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AI study notes for 黩

Quick Contrast

污 (wū, to pollute) — use 黩 for actions that specifically dishonor or corrupt morally, while 污 refers more generally to physical pollution or dirtiness.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone, as the first tone (dú) distinguishes it from similar-sounding words. It is more commonly used in formal contexts or literary language, so avoid using it in casual conversation. Typical collocations include phrases about corruption or moral decay.

HSK Study Tips

This character is not part of the official HSK levels, but understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to ethics and morality. Students at lower HSK levels should focus on basic characters related to honor and integrity to build foundational knowledge.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 黩 with similar-sounding characters like 毒 (dú, poison) due to pronunciation. A common mistake is using it in informal settings, where a simpler term would suffice, such as using '污' (wū) for 'dirty' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 黩

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Etymology of 黩

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

black

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

Origin

黩 = 卖 + 黑. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 黩

IDS Structure⿰黑卖
黩Full character
=
黑Hei1
left
卖mai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 黩?

How to say to dishonor, to defile, to corrupt; soiled in Chinese

“to dishonor, to defile, to corrupt; soiled” in Chinese is黩dú

The character 黩 (dú) refers to actions that dishonor, defile, or corrupt something. It is often used in contexts where moral or ethical standards are compromised, leading to a tarnished reputation or integrity. This term may also imply a continuous or habitual aspect of the action, as in 'constantly insulting' or 'perpetually corrupting.'

When to use 黩

Be cautious with the tone, as the first tone (dú) distinguishes it from similar-sounding words. It is more commonly used in formal contexts or literary language, so avoid using it in casual conversation. Typical collocations include phrases about corruption or moral decay.

黩 or something close to it

污 (wū, to pollute) — use 黩 for actions that specifically dishonor or corrupt morally, while 污 refers more generally to physical pollution or dirtiness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 黩 with similar-sounding characters like 毒 (dú, poison) due to pronunciation. A common mistake is using it in informal settings, where a simpler term would suffice, such as using '污' (wū) for 'dirty' instead.

Write 黩

黩

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

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Word Family of 黩

Words containing this character3
穷兵黩武qióngbīngdúwǔmilitaristic窮兵黷武
黩武dúwǔmilitaristic黷武
黩dúblacken黷
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 黩

What does 穷兵黩武 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 黩

You could say, '他的行为使家族蒙羞,太黩了' (His actions have dishonored the family, it is too corrupt).

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