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March 24, 2026
擾rǎo(rao3)
The character 擾 (rǎo) means to disturb, annoy, or agitate. It is often used in contexts where someone or something interrupts peace or tranquility, causing irritation. Common usages include references to noise, interruptions in conversation, or any action that disrupts normalcy.
Strokes18Radical扌Frequency#49371DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, maintaining harmony and peace in social settings is highly valued. The concept of disturbance, as represented by 擾, is often viewed negatively, especially in communal living situations.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'rowdy' group of people (the sound 'rǎo' resembles 'row') poking around in a quiet library, disturbing the peace. The character 擾 has the radical for 'hand' (扌) on the left, suggesting the action of poking or affecting something.
Meanings of 擾
rǎo(rao3)
1to poke, to disturb, to annoy, to agitate
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 擾
擾Simplified
18Strokes
扌Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 擾
Podcast: 擾
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AI Study Notes for 擾
Quick Contrast
干扰 (gānrǎo) vs 打扰 (dǎrǎo) — use 擾 (rǎo) when emphasizing disturbance in a more general or abstract sense, while 干扰 (gānrǎo) often refers to interference in a more technical or specific context.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a 'rowdy' group of people (the sound 'rǎo' resembles 'row') poking around in a quiet library, disturbing the peace. The character 擾 has the radical for 'hand' (扌) on the left, suggesting the action of poking or affecting something.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 擾 with similar words like 打扰 (dǎrǎo), which also means to disturb but is more commonly used in polite contexts. Be careful with the tone; the third tone 'rǎo' can easily be mispronounced as the second tone, changing the word's meaning.
HSK Study Tips
Although 擾 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to common HSK vocabulary related to disturbances, such as 打扰 (dǎrǎo). Focus on its usage in phrases and sentences to understand its connotation better.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese culture, maintaining harmony and peace in social settings is highly valued. The concept of disturbance, as represented by 擾, is often viewed negatively, especially in communal living situations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 擾 with the more common 打扰 (dǎrǎo) and may incorrectly use it in polite requests. For example, saying '请不要擾我' (Please do not disturb me) is less common than '请不要打扰我'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 擾
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Cultural Notes for 擾
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese culture, maintaining harmony and peace in social settings is highly valued. The concept of disturbance, as represented by 擾, is often viewed negatively, especially in communal living situations.
Word Family of 擾
Words Containing This Character20
打扰dǎrǎoto disturb打擾
干扰gānrǎoto disturb干擾
困扰kùnrǎoto perplex困擾
骚扰sāorǎoto disturb騷擾
扰rǎoto disturb擾
扰乱rǎoluànto disturb擾亂
性骚扰sexual harassment性騷擾
干扰素interferon干擾素
扰动to disturb擾動
侵扰to invade and harass侵擾
庸人自扰fig. to get upset over nothing庸人自擾
烦扰to bother煩擾
惊扰to alarm驚擾
纷扰turmoil紛擾
滋扰to cause trouble滋擾
搅扰to disturb攪擾
窜扰to invade and harass竄擾
微扰infinitesimal disturbance微擾
喧扰to disturb by noise喧擾
缠扰to harass纏擾
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 打扰 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 擾
You can say '他的行为擾乱了我的工作' (His actions disturbed my work).
擾 is generally neutral but can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
No, 擾 typically carries a negative connotation, referring to unwanted disturbances.
