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敲门 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
敲门qiāoménto knock on a doorHSK 5, unknown, 17 strokes, rank #4324, Hard
qiāomén(qiao1men2)qiao men T1
  1. 1to knock on a door
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March 24, 2026

敲门(敲門)qiāomén(qiao1men2)

The phrase 敲门 (qiāo mén) means 'to knock on a door.' It is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts, such as when entering someone's home or seeking permission. The action conveys a sense of respect and consideration before entering a private space.

Strokes17Frequency#4324DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, knocking on a door symbolizes respect for the privacy of the household. It’s customary to announce one’s presence before entering, reflecting the value of personal space.

Memory Tip

Imagine a friendly person knocking (敲) on a large door (门) to ask for entry. Visualize the sound of the knock echoing, helping you remember the pronunciation 'qiāo' sounds like 'cow' while you're 'knocking' at the 'door.'

Meanings of 敲门

qiāomén(qiao1men2)
1to knock on a door
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About 敲门

敲门Simplified
敲門Traditional
17Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2

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Podcast: 敲门

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AI Study Notes for 敲门

Usage Notes

A common mistake is using the wrong tone, as 'qiāo' should be pronounced with a high level tone. This phrase is generally informal, but can also be used in formal situations, such as business meetings when someone is about to enter a conference room. Be cautious not to confuse it with other phrases that involve entering.

HSK Study Tips

While 敲门 is not an HSK word itself, it is useful for HSK learners to know verbs related to actions. Students should focus on verbs and everyday actions at this level, as they often appear in dialogues and situational conversations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often forget to use the correct tones, saying 'qiao' instead of 'qiāo.' Additionally, some might confuse it with other entry-related phrases, such as 进 (jìn, to enter), leading to incorrect sentences like '我进门' (wǒ jìn mén) instead of '我敲门' (wǒ qiāo mén).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 敲门

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Component Characters

敲qiāoto hit
HSK 414 strokes攴
View full entry
门méngate
HSK 23 strokes门
View full entry

How to say to knock on a door in Chinese

“to knock on a door” in Chinese is敲门qiāomén

The phrase 敲门 (qiāo mén) means 'to knock on a door.' It is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts, such as when entering someone's home or seeking permission. The action conveys a sense of respect and consideration before entering a private space.

When to use 敲门

A common mistake is using the wrong tone, as 'qiāo' should be pronounced with a high level tone. This phrase is generally informal, but can also be used in formal situations, such as business meetings when someone is about to enter a conference room. Be cautious not to confuse it with other phrases that involve entering.

What learners get wrong

Learners often forget to use the correct tones, saying 'qiao' instead of 'qiāo.' Additionally, some might confuse it with other entry-related phrases, such as 进 (jìn, to enter), leading to incorrect sentences like '我进门' (wǒ jìn mén) instead of '我敲门' (wǒ qiāo mén).

Write 敲门

敲
门

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Frequently Asked Questions about 敲门

You would say 敲窗户 (qiāo chuānghù).

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