unknown, 15 strokes, radical 禾, rank #40796, Very Hard
dào(dao4)dao T4
1paddy
2rice (Oraza sativa)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
稻dào(dao4)
The character 稻 (dào) refers specifically to rice plants or paddy rice, emphasizing their agricultural context. It is commonly used in discussions about farming, cooking, and food culture in China, reflecting the significance of rice as a staple food in Chinese cuisine.
Strokes15Radical禾Frequency#40796DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
Rice is a fundamental part of Chinese culture, symbolizing prosperity and sustenance. The character 稻 reflects the importance of rice cultivation in rural Chinese life, particularly in southern regions where rice is a primary crop.
Memory Tip
Imagine a tall rice plant standing in a field, its grains swaying in the wind. The character 稻 looks like a field (田) with crops (禾) growing, reminding you that 'dào' is all about paddy rice. You can think of 'dào' as the sound of rice being poured into a bowl.
Meanings of 稻
dào(dao4)
1paddy
2rice (Oraza sativa)
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 稻 means.
About 稻
稻Simplified
15Strokes
禾Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#40796Frequency Rank
Podcast: 稻
Podcast: 稻
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 稻
Quick Contrast
稻 (dào) vs 米 (mǐ) — use 稻 when referring to rice plants, and 米 when referring to rice as a processed grain.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 'dào,' as mispronunciation can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words. It’s often used in conjunction with other terms, such as '稻田' (dàotián), meaning rice field, so it's good to familiarize yourself with these collocations.
HSK Study Tips
While 稻 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with words related to agriculture and food, such as 米 (mǐ, rice) and 田 (tián, field). Focus on recognizing its usage in contexts related to farming or cooking, which may help in broader discussions about Chinese cuisine.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 稻 (dào) with other characters related to rice, like 米 (mǐ). For example, saying '我喜欢稻' (Wǒ xǐhuān dào) instead of '我喜欢米' (Wǒ xǐhuān mǐ) when talking about liking rice can lead to confusion since ‘稻’ refers to the rice plant, not the cooked grain.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 稻
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 稻 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 稻 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
How Well Do You Know 稻?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 稻 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.
稻 = 禾 + 舀. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 稻
IDS Structure⿰禾舀
稻Full Character
=
禾he2
left
舀yao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 稻?
How to say paddy in Chinese
“paddy” in Chinese is稻dào
The character 稻 (dào) refers specifically to rice plants or paddy rice, emphasizing their agricultural context. It is commonly used in discussions about farming, cooking, and food culture in China, reflecting the significance of rice as a staple food in Chinese cuisine.
When to use 稻
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 'dào,' as mispronunciation can lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words. It’s often used in conjunction with other terms, such as '稻田' (dàotián), meaning rice field, so it's good to familiarize yourself with these collocations.
稻 or something close to it
稻 (dào) vs 米 (mǐ) — use 稻 when referring to rice plants, and 米 when referring to rice as a processed grain.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 稻 (dào) with other characters related to rice, like 米 (mǐ). For example, saying '我喜欢稻' (Wǒ xǐhuān dào) instead of '我喜欢米' (Wǒ xǐhuān mǐ) when talking about liking rice can lead to confusion since ‘稻’ refers to the rice plant, not the cooked grain.
Write 稻
稻
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 稻 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 稻
稻 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 4 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.
她把鸡蛋轻轻地放在吉姆篮子里的____草上。
She nestled the eggs safely in the straw in Jim's basket.
Example Sentences for 稻 (24)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她把鸡蛋轻轻地放在吉姆篮子里的稻草上。
tā bǎ jī dàn qīng qīng dì fàng zài jí mǔ lán zǐ lǐ de dào cǎo shàng。
She nestled the eggs safely in the straw in Jim's basket.
Accordingly, modern Korean rice varieties have shorter and stiffer culm characters.
6
他啃木棍,嚼稻草.
tā kěn mù gùn, , jiáo dào.
He gnawed sticks and straws.
7
稻田里有很多绿色的稻。
Dàotián lǐ yǒu hěn duō lǜsè de dào.
There is a lot of green paddy in the field.
8
农民们正在收割稻。
Nóngmínmen zhèngzài shōugē dào.
The farmers are harvesting the paddy.
9
稻长得很好。
Dào zhǎng de hěn hǎo.
The paddy is growing well.
10
那片稻田很大。
Nà piàn dàotián hěn dà.
That paddy field is very large.
11
我们去农场看稻田。
Wǒmen qù nóngchǎng kàn dàotián.
We went to the farm to see the paddy fields.
12
秋天是收割稻的季节。
Qiūtiān shì shōugē dào de jìjié.
Autumn is the season for harvesting paddy.
13
稻田里有很多绿色的稻。
Dàotián lǐ yǒu hěn duō lǜsè de dào.
There is a lot of green paddy in the field.
14
农民们正在收割稻。
Nóngmínmen zhèngzài shōugē dào.
The farmers are harvesting the paddy.
15
稻长得很好。
Dào zhǎng de hěn hǎo.
The paddy is growing well.
16
那片稻田很大。
Nà piàn dàotián hěn dà.
That paddy field is very large.
17
我们去农场看稻田。
Wǒmen qù nóngchǎng kàn dàotián.
We went to the farm to see the paddy fields.
18
秋天是收割稻的季节。
Qiūtiān shì shōugē dào de jìjié.
Autumn is the season for harvesting paddy.
19
稻田里有很多绿色的稻。
Dàotián lǐ yǒu hěn duō lǜsè de dào.
There is a lot of green paddy in the field.
20
农民们正在收割稻。
Nóngmínmen zhèngzài shōugē dào.
The farmers are harvesting the paddy.
21
稻长得很好。
Dào zhǎng de hěn hǎo.
The paddy is growing well.
22
那片稻田很大。
Nà piàn dàotián hěn dà.
That paddy field is very large.
23
我们去农场看稻田。
Wǒmen qù nóngchǎng kàn dàotián.
We went to the farm to see the paddy fields.
24
秋天是收割稻的季节。
Qiūtiān shì shōugē dào de jìjié.
Autumn is the season for harvesting paddy.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 稻?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 300 AI credits.
Word Family of 稻
Words Containing This Character20
稻草dàocǎorice straw
水稻shuǐdàorice
稻草人scarecrow
稻dàopaddy
稻田paddy field
早稻early season rice
稻谷dàogǔrice crops稻穀
稻米rice (crop)
救命稻草one's last hope
稻穗rice ear
稻子rice (crop)
粳稻round-grained nonglutinous rice (Japonica rice)
稻城Daocheng county (Tibetan: 'dab pa rdzong) in Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture 甘孜藏族自治州[GānzīZàngzúzìzhìzhōu], Sichuan (formerly in Kham province of Tibet)
籼稻long-grained rice (Indian rice, as opposed to round-grained rice)
稻作rice cultivation
稻苗rice seedling
稻壳rice husk稻殼
糯稻glutinous rice
稻糠rice husk
稻城县Daocheng county (Tibetan: 'dab pa rdzong) in Garze Tibetan autonomous prefecture 甘孜藏族自治州[GānzīZàngzúzìzhìzhōu], Sichuan (formerly in Kham province of Tibet)稻城縣
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 稻
What does 稻草 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 稻
稻 (dào) refers to the rice plant or paddy, while 米 (mǐ) refers to rice grains, typically the form ready for cooking.
稻 is often used when discussing agriculture, cooking, or food, especially in rural contexts where rice farming is prevalent.
Yes, it can be used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly when discussing agricultural topics or food.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 稻?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
