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March 24, 2026
祸(旤)huò(huo4)
The character 祸 (huò) refers to disaster, misfortune, or calamity. It is often used in contexts discussing unfortunate events or negative outcomes, emphasizing the severity of the situation. This term can also appear in idiomatic expressions that convey the idea of impending danger or bad luck.
Strokes11Radical礻Frequency#6527DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 祸 is often tied to fate and the belief that misfortune can be a result of one’s actions or moral standing. This idea is reflected in traditional sayings and proverbs warning against bad behavior that might lead to calamity.
Memory Tip
Imagine a storm cloud (the radical 示, meaning 'to show') looming over a village, bringing disaster. The character 祸 looks like a 'show of misfortune'—with the cloud representing the calamity and the 'huò' sound reminding you of the bad weather that brings it.
Meanings of 祸
huò(huo4)
1disaster
2misfortune
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 祸 means.
About 祸
祸Simplified
旤Traditional
11Strokes
礻Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#6527Frequency Rank
Podcast: 祸
Podcast: 祸
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AI Study Notes for 祸
Quick Contrast
灾 (zāi) — use 祸 (huò) when emphasizing personal misfortune or calamity, while 灾 (zāi) typically refers to natural disasters or large-scale calamities.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 祸 with 禍 (huò), which is a more commonly used character for the same meaning in modern contexts. It is generally informal, and you may encounter it in discussions of fate or bad luck. Common collocations include 祸害 (huòhài), meaning 'disaster' or 'harm'.
HSK Study Tips
While 祸 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with HSK Level 4 words like 灾难 (zāinàn), meaning 'disaster'. Students should focus on understanding how it is used in context and familiarize themselves with similar words to expand their vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 祸 in formal writing instead of 禍. For example, saying '这次会议的祸是不可避免的' (The misfortune of this meeting is unavoidable) should be corrected to '这次会议的禍是不可避免的'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 祸
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How Well Do You Know 祸?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 祸 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
祸 = 礻 + 呙. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 祸
IDS Structure⿰礻呙
祸Full Character
=
礻shi4
left
呙Guo1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 祸?
How to say disaster in Chinese
“disaster” in Chinese is祸huò
The character 祸 (huò) refers to disaster, misfortune, or calamity. It is often used in contexts discussing unfortunate events or negative outcomes, emphasizing the severity of the situation. This term can also appear in idiomatic expressions that convey the idea of impending danger or bad luck.
When to use 祸
Be careful not to confuse 祸 with 禍 (huò), which is a more commonly used character for the same meaning in modern contexts. It is generally informal, and you may encounter it in discussions of fate or bad luck. Common collocations include 祸害 (huòhài), meaning 'disaster' or 'harm'.
祸 or something close to it
灾 (zāi) — use 祸 (huò) when emphasizing personal misfortune or calamity, while 灾 (zāi) typically refers to natural disasters or large-scale calamities.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 祸 in formal writing instead of 禍. For example, saying '这次会议的祸是不可避免的' (The misfortune of this meeting is unavoidable) should be corrected to '这次会议的禍是不可避免的'.
Write 祸
祸
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Practice writing 祸 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 祸
祸 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 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 5
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
我看见人们出洋相并不幸灾乐____。
I find no pleasure in seeing people make asses of themselves.
