to thresh, to pound; to stir, to disturb; to attack
v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #11787, Hard
dǎo(dao3) T3
1pound
2beat
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March 24, 2026
捣(搗)dǎo(dao3)
The character 捣 (dǎo) primarily means 'to pound' or 'to beat', often in the context of food preparation, such as pounding garlic or spices. It can also imply disturbing or stirring something, like ingredients in a pot. In a broader sense, it can refer to an attack or an aggressive action.
Strokes10Radical扌Frequency#11787DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, pounding ingredients is a traditional technique used to enhance flavors, which highlights the importance of texture and freshness in food preparation. This method is often seen in dishes like chili paste or sauces.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef using a mortar and pestle to 'pound' spices. The left part of the character, 手 (shǒu), means 'hand', and the right part, 捣, resembles a hand pounding something down. Visualize your hand striking down to remember both the action and the pronunciation 'dǎo'.
Meanings of 捣
dǎo(dao3)
1pound
2beat
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 捣
捣Simplified
搗Traditional
10Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#11787Frequency Rank
Podcast: 捣
Podcast: 捣
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AI Study Notes for 捣
Quick Contrast
捣 (dǎo) vs 打 (dǎ) — use 捣 for food preparation contexts, while 打 is more general for hitting or striking.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a chef using a mortar and pestle to 'pound' spices. The left part of the character, 手 (shǒu), means 'hand', and the right part, 捣, resembles a hand pounding something down. Visualize your hand striking down to remember both the action and the pronunciation 'dǎo'.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 捣 (dǎo), as using the wrong tone can lead to confusion with other words. It is commonly used in both informal cooking contexts and more formal discussions about food preparation. Common collocations include 捣蒜 (dǎo suàn - to pound garlic) and 捣蛋 (dǎo dàn - to stir up trouble).
HSK Study Tips
While 捣 is not included in HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to words in HSK levels 3 and 4 that deal with cooking and actions. Students should focus on its application in everyday cooking contexts and practice using it in sentences.
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, pounding ingredients is a traditional technique used to enhance flavors, which highlights the importance of texture and freshness in food preparation. This method is often seen in dishes like chili paste or sauces.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 捣 (dǎo) with 打 (dǎ), which also means 'to hit' but is used in different contexts. For example, saying '我捣球' (wǒ dǎo qiú) instead of '我打球' (wǒ dǎ qiú - I play ball) is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 捣
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Grammar Patterns of 捣
捣 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 7 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
孩子们调皮____蛋的时候她管不了。
When the children misbehaved she was unable to cope.
Example Sentences for 捣 (10)
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1
孩子们调皮捣蛋的时候她管不了。
hái zǐ mén tiáo pí dǎo dàn de shí hòu tā guǎn bù le。
When the children misbehaved she was unable to cope.
2
一伙暴徒捣毁了警察设置的路障冲进法庭。
yī huǒ bào tú dǎo huǐ le jǐng chá shè zhì de lù zhàng chōng jìn fǎ tíng。
An unruly mob broke down police barricades and stormed the courtroom.
Patrick often plays up when he knows I'm in a hurry.
9
她不假思索地认定这些男孩子是捣蛋鬼.
tā bù jiǎ sī suǒ dì rèn dìng zhè xiē nán hái zǐ shì dǎo dàn guǐ.
She had automatically labelled the boys as troublemakers.
10
我将新栽的树周围的土捣硬.
wǒ jiāng xīn zāi de shù zhōu wéi de tǔ dǎo yìng.
I rammed down the earth around the newly - planted tree.
Cultural Notes for 捣
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese cuisine, pounding ingredients is a traditional technique used to enhance flavors, which highlights the importance of texture and freshness in food preparation. This method is often seen in dishes like chili paste or sauces.
Word Family of 捣
Words Containing This Character12
捣乱dǎoluànto disturb搗亂
捣dǎopound搗
捣蛋to cause trouble搗蛋
捣毁to destroy搗毀
捣鼓to fiddle with sth搗鼓
捣鬼to play tricks搗鬼
捣碎to mash搗碎
直捣to storm直搗
捣腾peddling搗騰
直捣黄龙lit. to directly attack Huanglong直搗黃龍
捣弄to trade搗弄
磕头如捣蒜lit. to kowtow like grinding garlic (idiom)磕頭如搗蒜
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 捣乱 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 捣
You can say '我在捣蒜' (wǒ zài dǎo suàn) meaning 'I am pounding garlic'.
Some synonyms include 打 (dǎ) for 'hit' and 搅 (jiǎo) for 'stir', but they have different nuances.
Yes, it can be used metaphorically to describe disturbing a situation or causing trouble.
