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诟 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
gòuto abuse, to scold; to berate, to insultn, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
gòudisgraceunknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
gòuto revileunknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
gòu(gou4) T4
  1. 1to abuse, to scold; to berate, to insult
  2. 2disgrace
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(詬)gòu(gou4)

The character 诟 (gòu) refers to the act of abusing or scolding someone, often in a harsh or insulting manner. It is commonly used in contexts where someone is criticized or reviled for their actions or behavior, carrying a strong negative connotation.

Strokes8RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, public criticism can lead to social disgrace, and thus 诟 reflects the societal importance of maintaining face and dignity. The character captures the serious nature of insults that can damage a person's reputation.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person shouting loudly (the character's left side resembles a mouth) to insult another, causing a big ruckus (the right side indicates sound). The 'gòu' sounds like 'go,' as if someone is telling you to 'go away' while being scolded.

Meanings of 诟

gòu(gou4)
1to abuse, to scold; to berate, to insult
2disgrace
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 诟

Simplified
Traditional
8Strokes
Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 诟

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AI Study Notes for 诟

Quick Contrast

抨击 (pēngjī) - use 诟 when the criticism is more about scolding or insulting, while 抨击 implies a more formal or aggressive attack.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person shouting loudly (the character's left side resembles a mouth) to insult another, causing a big ruckus (the right side indicates sound). The 'gòu' sounds like 'go,' as if someone is telling you to 'go away' while being scolded.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include using 诟 in a neutral context; it is strictly negative. Be cautious with tone; the correct pronunciation is 'gòu' (fourth tone), which can be confused with the first tone 'gōu' (to gather). It is more formal than colloquial expressions of scolding.

HSK Study Tips

While 诟 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other negative expressions in advanced levels. Focus on recognizing its usage in literature or news where criticism is discussed, enhancing comprehension of complex dialogues.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, public criticism can lead to social disgrace, and thus 诟 reflects the societal importance of maintaining face and dignity. The character captures the serious nature of insults that can damage a person's reputation.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 诟 with similar characters like 讥 (jī, to ridicule). For example, saying '他接受了很多诟' (He received a lot of ridicule) is incorrect; the correct form would be '他接受了很多讥讽.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 诟

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Etymology of 诟

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 诟?

Decomposition of 诟

IDS Structure⿰讠后
Full Character
=
yan2
left
Hou4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 诟?

Write 诟

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

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Grammar Patterns of 诟

诟 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 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 1

Complete the Sentence

该机构因对救生药物的审批速度太慢而备受一些医生的____病。

The agency has been vilified by some doctors for being unnecessarily slow to approve life-saving drugs.

Example Sentences for 诟 (1)

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1
该机构因对救生药物的审批速度太慢而备受一些医生的诟病。

gāi jī gòu yīn duì jiù shēng yào wù de shěn pī sù dù tài màn ér bèi shòu yī xiē yī shēng de gòu bìng。

The agency has been vilified by some doctors for being unnecessarily slow to approve life-saving drugs.

Cultural Notes for 诟

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, public criticism can lead to social disgrace, and thus 诟 reflects the societal importance of maintaining face and dignity. The character captures the serious nature of insults that can damage a person's reputation.

Word Family of 诟

Words Containing This Character2
gòudisgrace
诟病to denounce詬病
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 诟 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 诟

No, 诟 is more often found in written contexts like literature or formal speeches rather than in everyday conversations.