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March 24, 2026
嘎gā(ga1)
The character 嘎 (gā) primarily represents a cackling sound, similar to the noise made by certain birds or animals. It can also imply something bad or malevolent, often used in contexts to describe unpleasant situations or behaviors. This character is commonly encountered in informal speech and expressions related to laughter or mockery.
Strokes14Radical口Frequency#9578DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
The sound represented by 嘎 is often associated with certain animals in Chinese culture, like ducks or geese, which are common in traditional rural life. This connection highlights the importance of nature and animal sounds in everyday Chinese expression.
Memory Tip
Imagine a duck cackling 'gā' while waddling around a garden. The character 嘎 looks like a duck's beak (口) with a little twist (可), representing the sound it makes. Picture the duck making a bad choice in the garden, which connects to the negative connotation of 'bad' or 'malevolent' in its meaning.
Meanings of 嘎
gā(ga1)
primary
1a cackling sound; bad, malevolent
2cackling sound
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 嘎
嘎Simplified
14Strokes
口Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 嘎
Podcast: 嘎
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AI Study Notes for 嘎
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a duck cackling 'gā' while waddling around a garden. The character 嘎 looks like a duck's beak (口) with a little twist (可), representing the sound it makes. Picture the duck making a bad choice in the garden, which connects to the negative connotation of 'bad' or 'malevolent' in its meaning.
Usage Notes
Common mistakes include confusing 嘎 with similar-sounding characters like 卡 (kǎ) or 蛤 (há), which have different meanings. It's primarily used in informal contexts, so avoid using it in formal writing. Often appears in phrases describing laughter or mockery, and learners should practice the pronunciation to avoid tone errors.
HSK Study Tips
While 嘎 is not included in the official HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to words that express sounds or emotions, such as 哭 (kū, to cry) or 笑 (xiào, to laugh). Students should practice its pronunciation and recognize its informal contexts to enhance their speaking skills.
Cultural Note
The sound represented by 嘎 is often associated with certain animals in Chinese culture, like ducks or geese, which are common in traditional rural life. This connection highlights the importance of nature and animal sounds in everyday Chinese expression.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 嘎 with more commonly used characters like 呵 (hē) or 啊 (a), which can lead to incorrect usage in sentences. For instance, saying '我嘎了' (Wǒ gā le) instead of '我笑了' (Wǒ xiào le) to mean 'I laughed' is incorrect; the former does not convey the intended meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 嘎
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Grammar Patterns of 嘎
嘎 functions as an onomatopoeic word — it imitates a sound. It often functions as an adverbial or stand-alone exclamation rather than a true verb or noun. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
我签到后____吱嘎吱走过石子路来到我的房间。
I signed in and crunched across the gravel to my room.
Example Sentences for 嘎 (10)
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1
我签到后嘎吱嘎吱走过石子路来到我的房间。
wǒ qiān dào hòu gā zhī gā zhī zǒu guò shí zǐ lù lái dào wǒ de fáng jiān。
I signed in and crunched across the gravel to my room.
2
电梯嘎吱一声停在了一层。
diàn tī gā zhī yī shēng tíng zài le yī céng。
The elevator creaked to a halt at the ground floor.
3
一辆黑色的梅赛德斯轿车在直升机旁嘎的一声刹住了。
yī liàng hēi sè de méi sài dé sī jiào chē zài zhí shēng jī páng gā de yī shēng chà zhù le。
A black Mercedes screeched to a halt beside the helicopter.
4
地板上的沙子在我们脚下嘎吱作响。
dì bǎn shàng de shā zǐ zài wǒ mén jiǎo xià gā zhī zuò xiǎng。
lǎo fáng zǐ de mén fā chū gā zhī gā zhī de xiǎng shēng.
The door in the old house creaked noisily.
Cultural Notes for 嘎
🏮Cultural insight
The sound represented by 嘎 is often associated with certain animals in Chinese culture, like ducks or geese, which are common in traditional rural life. This connection highlights the importance of nature and animal sounds in everyday Chinese expression.
Word Family of 嘎
Words Containing This Character13
嘎gācackling sound
嘎嘎honk
嘎啦rattling
嘎然suddenly stop (of sounds)
萨嘎Saga county, Tibetan: Sa dga' rdzong, in Shigatse prefecture, Tibet薩嘎
嘎吱crunch
贡嘎Gonggar county, Tibetan: Gong dkar rdzong, in Lhokha prefecture 山南地區|山南地区[Shānnándìqū], Tibet貢嘎
吱嘎crunch
贡嘎县Gonggar county, Tibetan: Gong dkar rdzong, in Lhokha prefecture 山南地區|山南地区[Shānnándìqū], Tibet貢嘎縣
阿巴嘎旗Abag banner or Avga khoshuu in Xilin Gol league 錫林郭勒盟|锡林郭勒盟[Xīlínguōlèméng], Inner Mongolia
叽叽嘎嘎(onom.) giggling noise嘰嘰嘎嘎
萨嘎县Saga county, Tibetan: Sa dga' rdzong, in Shigatse prefecture, Tibet薩嘎縣
唧唧嘎嘎(onom.) giggling noise
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 嘎 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 嘎
In most contexts, 嘎 refers to a cackling sound, but it can also imply something bad or malevolent when describing actions or behaviors.
The pronunciation 'gā' uses the first tone, which is high and level. Make sure to maintain the tone to avoid confusion with other characters.
It's best to avoid using 嘎 in formal writing, as it is primarily used in informal speech and casual contexts.
