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丂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
丂kǎoobstruction of breath (qi); variant of 考zg, 2 strokes, radical 一
丂kǎo"breath" or "sigh" component in Chinese charactersunknown, 2 strokes, radical 一
kǎo(kao3) T3
  1. 1obstruction of breath (qi); variant of 考
  2. 2"breath" or "sigh" component in Chinese characters
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March 24, 2026

丂kǎo(kao3)

The character 丂 (kǎo) represents the concept of an obstruction of breath or a sigh. It is often used as a component in other characters related to breath or breathing. While it is not commonly used on its own in modern Chinese, it appears in variant forms and can carry nuances related to respiration.

Strokes2Radical一
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of breath and its obstruction is closely tied to health; breathing techniques are often emphasized for physical and mental well-being. The character reflects the importance of breath in both language and cultural practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to take a deep breath but feeling an obstruction in their throat, causing a sigh. The character 丂 looks like a person struggling with breath, with the horizontal stroke representing the obstruction. Remember 'kǎo' by thinking of 'coughing' to clear that obstruction.

Meanings of 丂

kǎo(kao3)
1obstruction of breath (qi); variant of 考
2"breath" or "sigh" component in Chinese characters
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 丂

丂Simplified
2Strokes
一Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 丂

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Podcast: 丂

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AI Study Notes for 丂

Usage Notes

This character is quite rare and is typically not used in everyday conversation. It's important to understand that while it can appear in compound characters, learners should not confuse it with the more commonly used 考 (kǎo), which means 'to test' or 'to examine.' The tone of 'kǎo' is the third tone, which can be tricky for learners.

HSK Study Tips

Although 丂 is not included in HSK vocabulary lists, understanding its usage can help learners recognize components in more complex characters. Focus on the relationship between breath and other characters containing this component, such as 思 (sī) meaning 'to think' which has the same 'breath' radical.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 丂 with 考 (kǎo), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我有一个丂试' (wǒ yǒu yī gè kǎo shì) instead of '我有一个考试' (wǒ yǒu yī gè kǎo shì) meaning 'I have a test.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 丂

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Etymology of 丂

Explanation

Wavy line depicting breath.

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 丂

Wavy line depicting breath.

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

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Decomposition of 丂

IDS Structure⿱一?
丂Full Character
=
一yi1
top
Exercise 1 of 1

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 丂?

How to say obstruction of breath (qi); variant of 考 in Chinese

“obstruction of breath (qi); variant of 考” in Chinese is丂kǎo

The character 丂 (kǎo) represents the concept of an obstruction of breath or a sigh. It is often used as a component in other characters related to breath or breathing. While it is not commonly used on its own in modern Chinese, it appears in variant forms and can carry nuances related to respiration.

When to use 丂

This character is quite rare and is typically not used in everyday conversation. It's important to understand that while it can appear in compound characters, learners should not confuse it with the more commonly used 考 (kǎo), which means 'to test' or 'to examine.' The tone of 'kǎo' is the third tone, which can be tricky for learners.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 丂 with 考 (kǎo), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying '我有一个丂试' (wǒ yǒu yī gè kǎo shì) instead of '我有一个考试' (wǒ yǒu yī gè kǎo shì) meaning 'I have a test.'

Write 丂

丂

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

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Word Family of 丂

Words Containing This Character1
丂kǎo"breath" or "sigh" component in Chinese characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 丂 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 丂

No, 丂 is quite rare and mostly appears as a component in other characters.

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