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哙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
哙kuàito swallow, to gulp down; greedyg, 9 strokes, radical 口
哙kuàisurname Kuaiunknown, 9 strokes, radical 口
kuài(Kuai4)kuai T4
  1. 1to swallow, to gulp down; greedy
Also a Chinese surname, Kuai — see the Surname Dictionary
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March 24, 2026

哙(噲)kuài(Kuai4)

The character 哙 (kuài) primarily refers to the action of swallowing or gulping down food or drink. It can also imply a sense of greediness, suggesting a voracious appetite. This term is less commonly used in modern conversation and might appear in literary or historical contexts.

Strokes9Radical口
Cultural note

The concept of eating quickly or greedily can be linked to traditional Chinese banquets, where guests are encouraged to enjoy food heartily. However, there is also an emphasis on moderation and etiquette during meals.

Memory tip

Imagine a person with a large mouth (the radical '口' for 'mouth') who is greedily gulping down food (the rest of the character). The sound 'kuài' can be remembered by picturing them saying 'Quick! I want to swallow this!' as they eat hastily.

Meanings of 哙

kuài(Kuai4)
1to swallow, to gulp down; greedy
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 哙

哙Simplified
噲Traditional
9Strokes
口Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 哙

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AI study notes for 哙

Usage Notes

In formal contexts, 哙 may not be commonly used, and learners should be cautious about using it in everyday conversations. It often appears in phrases related to eating or consuming quickly. Pay attention to the tone, as using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

As 哙 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, learners should focus on building their understanding of more frequently used verbs related to eating and drinking. Connecting this word to others like 吃 (chī, to eat) or 喝 (hē, to drink) can be beneficial.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 哙 with similar-sounding words. For instance, using 哙 (kuài) instead of 快 (kuài, meaning fast) can lead to misunderstandings. Always ensure you're using the correct character based on the context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 哙

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Etymology of 哙

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

mouth

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

Origin

哙 = 口 + 会. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 哙

IDS Structure⿰口会
哙Full character
=
口kou3
left
会hui4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 哙?

How to say to swallow, to gulp down; greedy in Chinese

“to swallow, to gulp down; greedy” in Chinese is哙kuài

The character 哙 (kuài) primarily refers to the action of swallowing or gulping down food or drink. It can also imply a sense of greediness, suggesting a voracious appetite. This term is less commonly used in modern conversation and might appear in literary or historical contexts.

When to use 哙

In formal contexts, 哙 may not be commonly used, and learners should be cautious about using it in everyday conversations. It often appears in phrases related to eating or consuming quickly. Pay attention to the tone, as using the wrong tone can change the meaning entirely.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 哙 with similar-sounding words. For instance, using 哙 (kuài) instead of 快 (kuài, meaning fast) can lead to misunderstandings. Always ensure you're using the correct character based on the context.

Write 哙

哙

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

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Word Family of 哙

Words containing this character1
哙kuàithroat噲

Frequently asked questions about 哙

No, 哙 is more often found in literary texts and is not commonly used in everyday speech.

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