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孬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
孬nāobad, cowardly, useless; rogue, scoundreln, 10 strokes, radical 子, rank #37681, Very Hard
孬nāo(dialect) no goodunknown, 10 strokes, radical 子, rank #37681, Very Hard
孬nāo(contraction of 不 and 好)unknown, 10 strokes, radical 子, rank #37681, Very Hard
nāo(nao1) T1
  1. 1bad, cowardly, useless; rogue, scoundrel
  2. 2(dialect) no good
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March 24, 2026

孬nāo(nao1)

The character 孬 (nāo) refers to something that is bad, cowardly, or useless. It is often used in informal contexts to describe someone or something that does not meet expectations or standards, such as a scoundrel or a coward. The term carries a negative connotation and is generally used in a derogatory manner.

Strokes10Radical子Frequency#37681DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In modern Chinese slang, calling someone 孬 can reflect social frustrations, especially among younger generations who seek authenticity and courage in interpersonal relationships. It signifies a strong disapproval of cowardly behavior, particularly in competitive environments.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'naughty' child who is always causing trouble. The character 孬 has a 'child' radical (子) at the bottom, suggesting mischief or bad behavior, while the top part looks like a person (亻) who is being scolded for being cowardly. This connection to 'bad' behavior helps you remember its meaning and pronunciation: nāo.

Meanings of 孬

nāo(nao1)
1bad, cowardly, useless; rogue, scoundrel
2(dialect) no good
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 孬

孬Simplified
10Strokes
子Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 孬

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Podcast: 孬

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AI Study Notes for 孬

Quick Contrast

坏 (huài) — use 孬 for informal, derogatory contexts, while 坏 is more general for bad.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 孬 with 好 (hǎo), which means 'good.' This word is quite informal, so it's best avoided in formal writing or speeches. Common collocations include 孬种 (nāo zhǒng), which means 'cowardly person' or 'scoundrel.'

HSK Study Tips

While 孬 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to the theme of character evaluation present in HSK 2 and 3, where learners encounter words like 好 (good) and 坏 (bad). Focus on understanding its usage in colloquial settings and how it contrasts with more positive descriptors.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 孬 with 好 (hǎo) due to their similar structure. For example, saying '这个电影很孬' (This movie is bad) is correct, but using it in a formal context would be inappropriate. Instead, use 坏 (huài) for formal situations.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 孬

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Etymology of 孬

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Not 不 good 好

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 孬

  1. 1The giveawayNot 不 good 好
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 孬? 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 孬?

Decomposition of 孬

IDS Structure⿱不好
孬Full Character
=
不bu4
top
好hao3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 孬?

How to say bad, cowardly, useless; rogue, scoundrel in Chinese

“bad, cowardly, useless; rogue, scoundrel” in Chinese is孬nāo

The character 孬 (nāo) refers to something that is bad, cowardly, or useless. It is often used in informal contexts to describe someone or something that does not meet expectations or standards, such as a scoundrel or a coward. The term carries a negative connotation and is generally used in a derogatory manner.

When to use 孬

Be careful not to confuse 孬 with 好 (hǎo), which means 'good.' This word is quite informal, so it's best avoided in formal writing or speeches. Common collocations include 孬种 (nāo zhǒng), which means 'cowardly person' or 'scoundrel.'

孬 or something close to it

坏 (huài) — use 孬 for informal, derogatory contexts, while 坏 is more general for bad.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 孬 with 好 (hǎo) due to their similar structure. For example, saying '这个电影很孬' (This movie is bad) is correct, but using it in a formal context would be inappropriate. Instead, use 坏 (huài) for formal situations.

Write 孬

孬

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

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Word Family of 孬

Words Containing This Character2
孬种coward孬種
孬nāo(dialect) no good
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 孬种 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 孬

No, 孬 is predominantly used in informal contexts and should be avoided in formal writing or speeches.

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