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March 24, 2026
躁zào(zao4)
The character '躁' (zào) refers to a state of being hot-tempered, impatient, or irritable. It is often used to describe someone who is restless or agitated, lacking calmness or composure in their behavior. This term can apply to both emotional states and physical sensations of tension.
Strokes20Radical足Frequency#15124DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being '躁' is often viewed negatively, as calmness and patience are highly valued traits. The concept of '心静' (xīnjìng, calm heart) is frequently emphasized in traditional teachings and practices.
Memory Tip
Imagine a hot pot bubbling over (the '火' radical for fire) because someone is too impatient to wait for it to cool down. The word '躁' sounds like 'zào', which can remind you of a 'hot' situation where emotions boil over.
Meanings of 躁
zào(zao4)
1hot-tempered
2impatient
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 躁
躁Simplified
20Strokes
足Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#15124Frequency Rank
Podcast: 躁
Podcast: 躁
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AI Study Notes for 躁
Quick Contrast
烦 (fán, annoyed) - use 躁 (zào) when emphasizing restlessness or agitation, while 烦 (fán) focuses more on annoyance or irritation.
Usage Notes
Be cautious when using '躁' in formal contexts, as it can imply a negative connotation. Commonly paired with phrases like '躁动' (zàodòng, restless) or '躁郁' (zàoyù, irritable), it can also be mistaken for '躁急' (zàojí, impatient), which has a slightly different nuance. Pay attention to tone, as using the wrong tone can alter the meaning entirely.
HSK Study Tips
Although '躁' is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other emotional terms at an advanced level. Students should focus on recognizing and using it in context to describe feelings or behaviors, linking it to words like '情绪' (qíngxù, emotion) and '急' (jí, urgent).
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse '躁' with '躁急' (impatient) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我很躁急' (wǒ hěn zàojí) instead of '我很躁' (wǒ hěn zào) can lead to misunderstandings about the intensity of the feeling.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 躁
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Phonosemantic compound. 足 represents the meaning and 喿 represents the sound.
1The meaning half足 carries the sense.
2The sound half喿 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayfoot
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 躁? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 躁?
Decomposition of 躁
IDS Structure⿰足喿
躁Full Character
=
足ju4
left
喿zao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 躁?
How to say hot-tempered in Chinese
“hot-tempered” in Chinese is躁zào
The character '躁' (zào) refers to a state of being hot-tempered, impatient, or irritable. It is often used to describe someone who is restless or agitated, lacking calmness or composure in their behavior. This term can apply to both emotional states and physical sensations of tension.
When to use 躁
Be cautious when using '躁' in formal contexts, as it can imply a negative connotation. Commonly paired with phrases like '躁动' (zàodòng, restless) or '躁郁' (zàoyù, irritable), it can also be mistaken for '躁急' (zàojí, impatient), which has a slightly different nuance. Pay attention to tone, as using the wrong tone can alter the meaning entirely.
躁 or something close to it
烦 (fán, annoyed) - use 躁 (zào) when emphasizing restlessness or agitation, while 烦 (fán) focuses more on annoyance or irritation.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse '躁' with '躁急' (impatient) and use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我很躁急' (wǒ hěn zàojí) instead of '我很躁' (wǒ hěn zào) can lead to misunderstandings about the intensity of the feeling.
Write 躁
躁
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Grammar Patterns of 躁
躁 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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 4
Complete the Sentence
这些天我有点焦____。我看是荷尔蒙在作怪。
I get a bit uptight these days. Hormones, I suppose.
