Meanings of 窠
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About 窠
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Podcast: 窠
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AI Study Notes for 窠
窝 (wō) - use 窠 (kē) for a more formal or literary context, while 窝 (wō) is more commonly used in everyday speech.
Learners often confuse 窠 with similar characters like 嵌 (qiàn, to embed), which can lead to incorrect usage. 窠 is more informal and often used in everyday contexts, while 嵌 might appear in technical language. Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing it, as it's a first tone.
Although 窠 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to other nature-related words like 巢 (cháo, nest) and 洞 (dòng, hole). Focus on recognizing its usage in descriptive contexts to build your vocabulary around habitats and shelters.
A common mistake is using 窠 interchangeably with 家 (jiā, home) which conveys a more general concept of a home rather than a specific nesting place. For instance, saying '我在窠' (Wǒ zài kē) instead of '我在家' (Wǒ zài jiā) would be incorrect.
Pronunciation of 窠
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Etymology of 窠
Phonosemantic compound. 穴 represents the meaning and 果 represents the sound.
hole
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 窠
Phonosemantic compound. 穴 represents the meaning and 果 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half穴 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half果 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayhole
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 窠? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 窠
Identify the Components
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How to say den, nest; hole, indentation in Chinese
“den, nest; hole, indentation” in Chinese is窠
The character 窠 (kē) refers to a den or nest, often used to describe the home of animals such as birds or other creatures. It can also imply a hollow space or indentation in various contexts, symbolizing a place of rest or shelter.
When to use 窠
Learners often confuse 窠 with similar characters like 嵌 (qiàn, to embed), which can lead to incorrect usage. 窠 is more informal and often used in everyday contexts, while 嵌 might appear in technical language. Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing it, as it's a first tone.
窠 or something close to it
窝 (wō) - use 窠 (kē) for a more formal or literary context, while 窝 (wō) is more commonly used in everyday speech.
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is using 窠 interchangeably with 家 (jiā, home) which conveys a more general concept of a home rather than a specific nesting place. For instance, saying '我在窠' (Wǒ zài kē) instead of '我在家' (Wǒ zài jiā) would be incorrect.
Write 窠
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Practice writing 窠 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 窠
Compound Meaning
What does 窠 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 窠
You might encounter phrases like '鸟窝' (niǎo wō, bird's nest) where 窠 implies the idea of a safe space.
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