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臥 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
臥wòto crouch, to lie downx, 8 strokes, radical 臣
wò(wo4)wo T4
  1. 1to crouch, to lie down
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March 24, 2026

臥wò(wo4)

The character 臥 (wò) refers to the action of lying down or crouching. It is commonly used to describe a position of rest or repose, often in a physical context such as sleeping or resting. This character can also imply a sense of leisure or relaxation.

Strokes8Radical臣
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of rest is highly valued, and the practice of ‘lying down’ (臥) is often associated with health and well-being, especially in the context of Tai Chi and relaxation techniques.

Memory tip

Imagine a person lying down with their body in a relaxed position, resembling the shape of the character 臥. The radical 臥 resembles a resting figure, with a flat base suggesting stability. Think of 'woe' when someone is overly tired and needs to lie down.

Meanings of 臥

wò(wo4)
1to crouch, to lie down
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 臥

臥Simplified
8Strokes
臣Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 臥

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AI study notes for 臥

Quick Contrast

卧 (wò) vs 躺 (tǎng) — use 臥 (wò) when emphasizing a position of rest or crouching, while 躺 (tǎng) specifically refers to lying down flat.

Usage Notes

臥 (wò) is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more common in written language. A common mistake is using it interchangeably with 躺 (tǎng), which specifically means 'to lie down' but implies a more horizontal position. Remember that when discussing sleep or rest, using 臥 can convey a more relaxed state.

HSK Study Tips

Although 臥 is not included in the HSK levels, it is important for students to connect it to related verbs like 躺 (tǎng) and 坐 (zuò) at HSK 1 and 2. Students should focus on practicing sentences that describe actions involving lying down or resting.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 臥 with 躺, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我在臥床' (wǒ zài wò chuáng) is incorrect; the correct expression is '我在躺床' (wǒ zài tǎng chuáng).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 臥

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Etymology of 臥

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 臥. Origin unclear.

Memory hint

A person 人 laying on a bed 臣

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Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 臥?

Decomposition of 臥

IDS Structure⿰臣人
臥Full character
=
臣Chen2
left
人ren2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 臥?

How to say to crouch, to lie down in Chinese

“to crouch, to lie down” in Chinese is臥wò

The character 臥 (wò) refers to the action of lying down or crouching. It is commonly used to describe a position of rest or repose, often in a physical context such as sleeping or resting. This character can also imply a sense of leisure or relaxation.

When to use 臥

臥 (wò) is often used in both formal and informal contexts, but is more common in written language. A common mistake is using it interchangeably with 躺 (tǎng), which specifically means 'to lie down' but implies a more horizontal position. Remember that when discussing sleep or rest, using 臥 can convey a more relaxed state.

臥 or something close to it

卧 (wò) vs 躺 (tǎng) — use 臥 (wò) when emphasizing a position of rest or crouching, while 躺 (tǎng) specifically refers to lying down flat.

What learners get wrong

Learners may confuse 臥 with 躺, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我在臥床' (wǒ zài wò chuáng) is incorrect; the correct expression is '我在躺床' (wǒ zài tǎng chuáng).

Write 臥

臥

Practice writing 臥 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 臥

Words containing this character20
卧室wòshìbedroom臥室
卧wòto lie臥
卧底a mole臥底
俯卧撑push-up俯臥撐
卧倒to lie down臥倒
卧床bed臥床
仰卧to lie supine仰臥
卧铺wòpùa couchette臥鋪
卧房bedroom臥房
仰卧起坐sit-up (physical exercise)仰臥起坐
侧卧to lie on one's side側臥
俯卧to lie prone俯臥
卧薪尝胆fig. to maintain one's resolve for revenge臥薪嘗膽
硬卧hard sleeper (a type of sleeper train ticket class with a harder bunk)硬臥
软卧soft sleeper (a type of sleeper train ticket class with a softer bunk)軟臥
卧病ill in bed臥病
藏龙卧虎concealed talent藏龍臥虎
卧轨to lie across the railway tracks (to commit suicide or to prevent trains from getting through)臥軌
倒卧to lie down倒臥
卧榻a couch臥榻
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 臥

What does 卧室 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 臥

Yes, while it is more common in written form, you can hear it used in contexts discussing rest or sleep.

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