unknown, 17 strokes, radical 口, rank #15845, Very Hard
嚎
háo
bawl
unknown, 17 strokes, radical 口, rank #15845, Very Hard
háo(hao2) T2
1to cry loudly, to scream, to yell
2howl
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
嚎háo(hao2)
The character 嚎 (háo) means to cry loudly or to scream, often associated with animals howling or humans expressing extreme emotions. It can convey a sense of distress or a strong outburst of feeling, commonly used in both literary and conversational contexts when describing loud cries or yells.
Strokes17Radical口Frequency#15845DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, howling is often associated with grief or lamentation, especially in poetry and folklore. The imagery of animals howling, such as wolves or dogs, can symbolize loyalty or the expression of deep sorrow.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wolf howling under the moonlight, its howl echoing through the night. The character 嚎 has the mouth radical (口), symbolizing the act of crying out loudly. Visualize the wolf’s mouth wide open as it lets out a powerful howl, which sounds like 'háo'.
Meanings of 嚎
háo(hao2)
1to cry loudly, to scream, to yell
2howl
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 嚎
嚎Simplified
17Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 嚎
Podcast: 嚎
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AI Study Notes for 嚎
Quick Contrast
嚎 (háo) vs 叫 (jiào) — use 嚎 for loud, often distressing cries, while 叫 is more general for calling or shouting.
Usage Notes
Be cautious when using 嚎 in formal contexts; it’s more suited for informal situations or expressive writing. Common collocations include 嚎叫 (to howl/yell) and 嚎啕大哭 (to cry loudly). Remember that the tone is the second tone (háo), which can be confused with the first tone (hāo) in pronunciation.
HSK Study Tips
Although 嚎 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be related to other words at HSK 5 that express emotional states or sounds, like 哭 (kū, to cry). Focus on recognizing how this character fits into the broader context of emotions and sounds in the language.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 嚎 with 哀 (āi), which means to lament. An incorrect usage would be saying '我很哀' (I am very lamenting), when it should be '我很嚎' (I cry out loudly).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 嚎
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Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 豪 represents the sound.
1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
2The sound half豪 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymouth
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 嚎? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 嚎?
Decomposition of 嚎
IDS Structure⿰口豪
嚎Full Character
=
口kou3
left
豪hao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 嚎?
How to say to cry loudly, to scream, to yell in Chinese
“to cry loudly, to scream, to yell” in Chinese is嚎háo
The character 嚎 (háo) means to cry loudly or to scream, often associated with animals howling or humans expressing extreme emotions. It can convey a sense of distress or a strong outburst of feeling, commonly used in both literary and conversational contexts when describing loud cries or yells.
When to use 嚎
Be cautious when using 嚎 in formal contexts; it’s more suited for informal situations or expressive writing. Common collocations include 嚎叫 (to howl/yell) and 嚎啕大哭 (to cry loudly). Remember that the tone is the second tone (háo), which can be confused with the first tone (hāo) in pronunciation.
嚎 or something close to it
嚎 (háo) vs 叫 (jiào) — use 嚎 for loud, often distressing cries, while 叫 is more general for calling or shouting.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 嚎 with 哀 (āi), which means to lament. An incorrect usage would be saying '我很哀' (I am very lamenting), when it should be '我很嚎' (I cry out loudly).
Write 嚎
嚎
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Practice writing 嚎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 嚎
嚎 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
那只狗开始哀____。
The dog began to yowl.
Example Sentences for 嚎 (8)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
那只狗开始哀嚎。
nà zhī gǒu kāi shǐ āi háo。
The dog began to yowl.
2
他能听见她的狗在暗处吠叫、哀嚎。
tā néng tīng jiàn tā de gǒu zài àn chǔ fèi jiào、 、 āi。
He could hear her dog barking and whining in the background.
