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March 24, 2026
祷(禱)dǎo(dao3)
The character 祷 (dǎo) means 'to pray' or 'to entreat.' It is often used in religious contexts, where individuals express desires or seek assistance from a higher power. The nuance of this character conveys a sense of earnestness and humility in the act of supplication.
Strokes11Radical礻Frequency#24492DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, prayer is often linked to ancestral worship and seeking blessings from deities. The act of praying at temples during festivals is a common practice, reflecting the importance of spirituality in daily life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person kneeling with hands together in prayer, where the left side of the character (示) represents a shrine or altar, and the right side (刀) symbolizes a knife cutting through challenges, showing the earnestness of their request. The pronunciation 'dǎo' sounds like 'doll,' which can remind you of a child praying for their doll's safety.
Meanings of 祷
dǎo(dao3)
1to pray, to entreat, to beg; prayer
2pray
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 祷
祷Simplified
禱Traditional
11Strokes
礻Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 祷
Podcast: 祷
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AI Study Notes for 祷
Quick Contrast
祈 (qí) — use 祷 (dǎo) when emphasizing earnest supplication, while 祈 (qí) is more general and can imply a simpler wish or hope.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person kneeling with hands together in prayer, where the left side of the character (示) represents a shrine or altar, and the right side (刀) symbolizes a knife cutting through challenges, showing the earnestness of their request. The pronunciation 'dǎo' sounds like 'doll,' which can remind you of a child praying for their doll's safety.
Usage Notes
Avoid using 祷 in overly casual contexts, as it carries a formal or spiritual weight. Common collocations include 祷告 (dǎogào), meaning 'to pray' in a religious sense. Be careful with the tone; mispronouncing it with a different tone can lead to confusion with unrelated words.
HSK Study Tips
While 祷 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects to other religious or spiritual vocabulary in Chinese. Focus on memorizing this character alongside related terms like 祈祷 (qídǎo, to pray) to deepen understanding of its usage.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, prayer is often linked to ancestral worship and seeking blessings from deities. The act of praying at temples during festivals is a common practice, reflecting the importance of spirituality in daily life.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 祷 with 祝, mistakenly using 祝 when they intend to express a prayerful sentiment. For example, saying 祝你健康 (Zhù nǐ jiànkāng) instead of 祷告你健康 (Dǎogào nǐ jiànkāng) when conveying a prayer for health.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 祷
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Grammar Patterns of 祷
祷 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 3 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
这位上校低头轻声做感恩祈____。
The Colonel bowed his head and whispered a prayer of thanksgiving.
mù shī qǐng zài cháng de fù nǚ mén hé tā yī qǐ qí dǎo。
The pastor requested the women present to join him in prayer.
9
请众同祷。
qǐng zhòng tóng dǎo。
Let us pray, brethren.
10
一名牧师照着祈祷书念祷文。
yī míng mù shī zhào zháo qí dǎo shū niàn dǎo wén。
A clergyman read the liturgy from the prayer-book.
Cultural Notes for 祷
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, prayer is often linked to ancestral worship and seeking blessings from deities. The act of praying at temples during festivals is a common practice, reflecting the importance of spirituality in daily life.
Word Family of 祷
Words Containing This Character7
祈祷qídǎoto pray祈禱
祷告to pray禱告
祷dǎoprayer禱
祷文litany (text of a prayer)禱文
默祷silent prayer默禱
祝祷to pray祝禱
祷念to pray禱念
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 祈祷 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 祷
You can say 我为你祷告 (Wǒ wèi nǐ dǎogào), meaning 'I pray for you.'
No, it is primarily used in formal or religious contexts, so it's less common in casual conversations.
祷 (dǎo) is more about praying or entreating, while 祝 (zhù) means 'to wish' and is used for good wishes.
