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恼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
恼
nǎo
to get angry
zg, 9 strokes, radical 忄, rank #22422, Very Hard
恼
nǎo
angry, wrathful
zg, 9 strokes, radical 忄, rank #22422, Very Hard
nǎo(nao3)nao T3
1to get angry
2angry, wrathful
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March 24, 2026
恼(惱)nǎo(nao3)
The character 恼 (nǎo) means to get angry or to be wrathful. It is commonly used to describe feelings of annoyance or irritation, often in a context where someone is upset due to a specific incident or behavior. This character conveys a sense of emotional disturbance and is often used in both spoken and written Chinese to express discontent.
Strokes9Radical忄Frequency#22422DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, showing anger openly can be seen as losing face, so the word 恼 often ties into discussions about emotional restraint and social harmony, reflecting a cultural preference for maintaining peace rather than expressing anger.
Memory tip
Imagine a 'naughty' child causing annoyance (恼) to their parents. The character looks like a person with a furrowed brow, indicating anger, while the left side (忄) represents emotions, reminding you that this word deals with feelings of anger.
Meanings of 恼
nǎo(nao3)
1to get angry
2angry, wrathful
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 恼
恼Simplified
惱Traditional
9Strokes
忄Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#22422Frequency Rank
Podcast: 恼
Podcast: 恼
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AI study notes for 恼
Quick Contrast
恼 (nǎo) vs 生气 (shēngqì) — use 恼 for a more nuanced sense of annoyance linked to specific incidents, while 生气 is a broader term for anger.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 恼; it has a falling tone (nǎo) that can change the meaning if mispronounced. This word is generally used in informal contexts, and common collocations include 恼火 (nǎo huǒ - to get angry) and 恼怒 (nǎo nù - wrathful).
HSK Study Tips
Although 恼 is not included in the HSK levels, it is useful for students at HSK 3 or 4 as it connects to emotions, a common theme in daily conversations. Students should focus on its usage in contexts of frustration or anger.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 恼 with other words for anger like 生气. For example, saying '我恼他的行为' instead of '我生气他的行为' (I am angry about his behavior) is incorrect; use 生气 for a more common expression.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 恼
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The character 恼 (nǎo) means to get angry or to be wrathful. It is commonly used to describe feelings of annoyance or irritation, often in a context where someone is upset due to a specific incident or behavior. This character conveys a sense of emotional disturbance and is often used in both spoken and written Chinese to express discontent.
When to use 恼
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 恼; it has a falling tone (nǎo) that can change the meaning if mispronounced. This word is generally used in informal contexts, and common collocations include 恼火 (nǎo huǒ - to get angry) and 恼怒 (nǎo nù - wrathful).
恼 or something close to it
恼 (nǎo) vs 生气 (shēngqì) — use 恼 for a more nuanced sense of annoyance linked to specific incidents, while 生气 is a broader term for anger.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 恼 with other words for anger like 生气. For example, saying '我恼他的行为' instead of '我生气他的行为' (I am angry about his behavior) is incorrect; use 生气 for a more common expression.
Write 恼
恼
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Grammar patterns of 恼
恼 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Some of you were getting very hot under the collar about Royals.
7
让我恼怒的是这么多人都是这样的态度。
ràng wǒ nǎo nù de shì zhème duō rén dōushì zhèyàng de tàidù。
What gets me is the attitude of so many of the people.
8
我对那件事有点恼火。
wǒ duì nà jiàn shì yǒu diǎn nǎohuǒ。
I was a bit miffed about that.
9
毫不奇怪，她的老师有点被她惹恼了。
háobù qíguài， tā de lǎoshī yǒu diǎn bèi tā rě nǎo le。
Not surprisingly, her teacher is getting irritated with her.
10
整个事件显然让总统很恼火。
zhěnggè shìjiàn xiǎnrán ràng zǒngtǒng hěn nǎohuǒ。
The president was clearly exasperated by the whole saga.
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Word Family of 恼
Words containing this character14
烦恼fánnǎoto be worried煩惱
苦恼kǔnǎovexed苦惱
恼火nǎohuǒto get angry惱火
恼nǎoto get angry惱
惹恼rěnǎoto offend惹惱
恼怒nǎonùresentful惱怒
懊恼àonǎoannoyed懊惱
恼人nǎorénannoying惱人
恼羞成怒nǎoxiūchéngnùto fly into a rage out of humiliation惱羞成怒
自寻烦恼zìxúnfánnǎoto bring trouble on oneself (idiom)自尋煩惱
气恼qìnǎoto be annoyed氣惱
恼恨nǎohènto hate and resent惱恨
羞恼xiūnǎoresentful羞惱
可恼kěnǎoaggravating可惱
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 恼
What does 烦恼 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 恼
Some synonyms for 恼 include 生气 (shēngqì), which means to be angry, and 愤怒 (fènnù), meaning furious. Using these words can add variety to your expression of anger in Chinese.
While 恼 is commonly used in spoken language, it may not be suitable for formal writing. In such contexts, it's better to use more formal expressions of anger, such as 愤怒 (fènnù).
恼 (nǎo) means to get angry or to be wrathful. It describes a state of being upset or irritated. This character can be used in various contexts where feelings of anger are expressed.
You can use 恼 in a sentence like '他很恼火' (Tā hěn nǎohuǒ), which means 'He is very angry.' It is often used to convey irritation or annoyance in everyday conversations.
You can say '我对他的行为感到很恼火' (I feel very angry about his behavior).
No, 恼 is more commonly used in informal spoken contexts rather than formal writing.
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