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骚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
骚
sāo
trouble
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
disturbance
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
rumpus
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
flirty
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
coquettish
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
literary writings
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
smell of urine
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
foul smell
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
male (animal) (dialect)
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
to annoy, to bother; to disturb, to harrass
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
abbr. for 離騷
HSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
骚
sāo
abbr. for 離騷|离骚[Li2 Sao1]
HSK 7, unknown, 12 strokes, radical 马, rank #6851, Very Hard
sāo(sao1)sao T1
1trouble
2disturbance
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March 24, 2026
骚(騷)sāo(sao1)
The character 骚 (sāo) primarily means to disturb or annoy someone, often implying a sense of trouble or fuss. It can also refer to flirtatious behavior or be used in literary contexts, especially in relation to classical Chinese poetry. Its nuanced meanings can vary greatly depending on context, from light-hearted teasing to more serious disturbances.
Strokes12Radical马Frequency#6851DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
The term 骚 is often used in the context of classical Chinese literature, particularly in reference to works like the '离骚' (Lí Sāo), which is a famous poem by Qu Yuan. This highlights the cultural importance of poetry and flirtation in historical Chinese literature.
Memory tip
Imagine a playful cat (the character's form suggests a creature) that causes chaos in the house, creating a '骚' (sāo) of noise and trouble. This cat is also flirtatious, prancing around in a coquettish manner, embodying the dual meanings of the character.
Meanings of 骚
sāo(sao1)
1trouble
2disturbance
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 骚 means.
About 骚
骚Simplified
騷Traditional
12Strokes
马Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6851Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7
Podcast: 骚
Podcast: 骚
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AI study notes for 骚
Quick Contrast
骚 (sāo) vs 打扰 (dǎrǎo) — use 骚 for more playful or flirtatious disturbances, while 打扰 is more neutral and direct in implying interruption.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 骚 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings, so it's important to pay attention to context. This word is generally informal and can be considered slang in certain contexts. Common collocations include 骚扰 (sāo rǎo) meaning 'to disturb' and 骚动 (sāo dòng) meaning 'commotion'.
HSK Study Tips
While 骚 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it can be related to other words that describe actions or behaviors, such as 打扰 (dǎ rǎo, to disturb) or 吵 (chǎo, noisy). Students should practice using it in sentences to better grasp its connotations.
Common Mistakes
Learners might confuse 骚 with similar characters like 烧 (shāo, to burn) or 骂 (mà, to scold), leading to misunderstandings. For example, saying '我烧扰你' instead of '我骚扰你' is incorrect; the correct phrase means 'I disturb you.'
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 骚
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Knowing 骚 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.
The character 骚 (sāo) primarily means to disturb or annoy someone, often implying a sense of trouble or fuss. It can also refer to flirtatious behavior or be used in literary contexts, especially in relation to classical Chinese poetry. Its nuanced meanings can vary greatly depending on context, from light-hearted teasing to more serious disturbances.
When to use 骚
Learners often confuse 骚 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings, so it's important to pay attention to context. This word is generally informal and can be considered slang in certain contexts. Common collocations include 骚扰 (sāo rǎo) meaning 'to disturb' and 骚动 (sāo dòng) meaning 'commotion'.
骚 or something close to it
骚 (sāo) vs 打扰 (dǎrǎo) — use 骚 for more playful or flirtatious disturbances, while 打扰 is more neutral and direct in implying interruption.
What learners get wrong
Learners might confuse 骚 with similar characters like 烧 (shāo, to burn) or 骂 (mà, to scold), leading to misunderstandings. For example, saying '我烧扰你' instead of '我骚扰你' is incorrect; the correct phrase means 'I disturb you.'
Write 骚
骚
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Practice writing 骚 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 骚
骚 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 12 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
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
如果遭到了性____扰，你应该采取行动。
If you're sexually harassed, you ought to do something about it.
Example sentences for 骚 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
如果遭到了性骚扰，你应该采取行动。
rúguǒ zāodào le xìng sāorǎo， nǐ yīnggāi cǎiqǔ xíngdòng。
If you're sexually harassed, you ought to do something about it.
2
还有其他形式的民众骚乱，最出名的是足球流氓行为。
háiyǒu qítā xíngshì de mínzhòng sāoluàn， zuì chūmíng de shì zúqiú liúmáng xíngwéi。
There are other forms of civil disorder — most notably, football hooliganism.
3
周末右翼分子对外国人的攻击最终演变成了这场骚乱。
zhōumò yòu yì fēn zi duìwài guó rén de gōngjī zuìzhōng yǎnbiàn chéng le zhè chǎng sāoluàn。
The unrest capped a weekend of right-wing attacks on foreigners.
