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吹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
吹
chuī
to blow
HSK 4, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #1493, Medium
吹
chuī
to play a wind instrument
HSK 4, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #1493, Medium
吹
chuī
to blast
HSK 4, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #1493, Medium
吹
chuī
to puff
HSK 4, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #1493, Medium
吹
chuī
to boast
HSK 4, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #1493, Medium
吹
chuī
to brag
HSK 4, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #1493, Medium
吹
chuī
to end in failure
HSK 4, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #1493, Medium
吹
chuī
to fall through
HSK 4, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #1493, Medium
chuī(chui1)chui T1
1to blow
2to play a wind instrument
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March 24, 2026
吹chuī(chui1)
The character 吹 (chuī) primarily means 'to blow' and is commonly used in contexts involving wind or air, such as blowing up a balloon or playing a wind instrument. It can also refer to boasting or bragging, particularly in informal settings, where someone may exaggerate their achievements.
Strokes7Radical口Frequency#1493DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, boasting is often seen as a negative trait, yet it is humorously acknowledged in everyday conversations. The phrase 吹牛 (to boast) is often used light-heartedly among friends, showing a cultural acceptance of playful exaggeration.
Memory tip
Imagine a child blowing air into a balloon, making it larger and larger until it pops! The character 吹 looks like a person blowing (the small stroke on top) while the larger bottom part resembles a balloon. The sound 'chuī' can remind you of the sound of wind blowing.
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AI study notes for 吹
Quick Contrast
吹 (chuī, to blow) vs 喷 (pēn, to spray) — use 吹 when referring to blowing air, while 喷 is for dispersing liquid.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 吹 with other characters that involve blowing or air. It’s commonly used in both informal and formal contexts, but its boasting meaning is more suited for casual conversations. Common collocations include 吹牛 (chuī niú, to brag) and 吹笛 (chuī dí, to play the flute).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 吹 connects with other verbs related to sounds and actions. Students should focus on its different meanings and usage in both musical and conversational contexts, practicing sentences that incorporate 吹 to solidify understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 吹 with similar-sounding verbs like 唱 (chàng, to sing) or 急 (jí, to hurry). For example, saying 吹歌 (chuī gē) instead of 唱歌 (chàng gē, to sing) is incorrect; remember 吹 is for blowing or playing wind instruments.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 吹
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Knowing 吹 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.
吹 = 口 + 欠. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 吹
IDS Structure⿰口欠
吹Full character
=
口kou3
left
欠qian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 吹?
How to say to blow in Chinese
“to blow” in Chinese is吹chuī
The character 吹 (chuī) primarily means 'to blow' and is commonly used in contexts involving wind or air, such as blowing up a balloon or playing a wind instrument. It can also refer to boasting or bragging, particularly in informal settings, where someone may exaggerate their achievements.
When to use 吹
Be careful not to confuse 吹 with other characters that involve blowing or air. It’s commonly used in both informal and formal contexts, but its boasting meaning is more suited for casual conversations. Common collocations include 吹牛 (chuī niú, to brag) and 吹笛 (chuī dí, to play the flute).
吹 or something close to it
吹 (chuī, to blow) vs 喷 (pēn, to spray) — use 吹 when referring to blowing air, while 喷 is for dispersing liquid.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 吹 with similar-sounding verbs like 唱 (chàng, to sing) or 急 (jí, to hurry). For example, saying 吹歌 (chuī gē) instead of 唱歌 (chàng gē, to sing) is incorrect; remember 吹 is for blowing or playing wind instruments.
Write 吹
吹
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Practice writing 吹 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 吹
吹 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 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
This pattern is used to emphasize the action of blowing or playing an instrument.
❝
他是吹笛子的。
Tā shì chuī dízi de.
He is the one who plays the flute.
Exercise 1 of 2
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
甲：他说他这次准考第一。乙：瞧他____的。
A: He says he will definitely get first place. B: Look at him boasting!
Common confusions with 吹
吹vs垂
chuí
Same pinyin but different meaning.
吹vs追
zhuī
Similar sound but different meaning.
吹气 means to blow air, while 吹 can refer to blowing in a more general sense.
1
他在吹气球。 (He is blowing up a balloon.)
吹气 means to blow air, while 吹 can refer to blowing in a more general sense.
💡Remember 吹气 is specifically about blowing air.
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “to blow”?
or
Usage Notes for 吹
Confusing 吹 with other verbsCommon Error
Learners often confuse 吹 with verbs like 扔 (to throw) or 听 (to listen). It’s important to remember that 吹 specifically relates to blowing or playing instruments.
1
我在吹口琴。
I am playing the harmonica.
Exercise 1 of 1
Get it right
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
A blizzard was blasting great drifts of snow across the lake.
11
风在海岸线上不停地吹，卷起了层层浪花。
Fēng zài hǎi'àn xiàn shàng bù tíng de chuī, juǎn qǐ le céng céng làng huā.
The wind blows constantly along the coastline, creating layers of waves.
12
他用力地吹着热汤，希望能快点凉下来。
Tā yònglì de chuī zhe rè tāng, xīwàng néng kuài diǎn liáng xiàlái.
He blew hard on the hot soup, hoping it would cool down quickly.
13
风在海岸线上不停地吹，卷起了层层浪花。
Fēng zài hǎi'àn xiàn shàng bù tíng de chuī, juǎn qǐ le céng céng làng huā.
The wind blows constantly along the coastline, creating layers of waves.
14
他用力地吹着热汤，希望能快点凉下来。
Tā yònglì de chuī zhe rè tāng, xīwàng néng kuài diǎn liáng xiàlái.
He blew hard on the hot soup, hoping it would cool down quickly.
vto play a wind instrument2
15
他每天都在公园里吹长笛。
Tā měitiān dōu zài gōngyuán lǐ chuī chángdí.
He plays the flute in the park every day.
16
他每天都在公园里吹长笛。
Tā měitiān dōu zài gōngyuán lǐ chuī chángdí.
He plays the flute in the park every day.
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Cultural Notes for 吹
💡Did you know?
在中国，吹口哨被认为是一种不礼貌的行为，尤其是在公共场所。人们通常认为这会引来坏运气。
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, bragging is often viewed negatively, while in Chinese culture, boasting can sometimes be seen as a way to engage in friendly banter.
Word Family of 吹
Compounds1
焁xī
Words containing this character20
吹chuīto blow
吹牛chuīniúto talk big
吹嘘chuīxūto brag吹噓
鼓吹gǔchuīto agitate for
吹捧chuīpěngto flatter
吹风机chuīfēngjīhair dryer吹風機
吹毛求疵chuīmáoqiúcīnitpick
吹拂chuīfúto brush
吹奏chuīzòuto play (wind instruments)
吹干chuīgānto blow-dry吹乾
自吹自擂zìchuīzìléito blow one's own trumpet (idiom)
吹牛皮chuīniúpíto boast
告吹gàochuīto fizzle out
电吹风diànchuīfēnghair dryer電吹風
吹散chuīsànto disperse
风吹雨打fēngchuī-yǔdǎlit. windswept and battered by rain風吹雨打
不费吹灰之力búfèichuīhuīzhīlìeffortless不費吹灰之力
吹气chuīqìto blow air (into)吹氣
吹口哨chuīkǒushàoto whistle
胡吹húchuīto boast wildly
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 吹
What does 吹牛 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 吹
Yes, 吹 can be used in both formal and informal contexts. In formal situations, it may refer to playing an instrument, while in informal conversations, it often relates to boasting or casual speech. Understanding the context is key.
Common phrases include '吹风' (chuī fēng), meaning 'to blow wind' or 'to chill out,' and '吹牛' (chuī niú), which means 'to boast' or 'to talk big.' These phrases reflect the various meanings of the character in different contexts.
You can use 吹 in sentences like '我在吹笛子' (Wǒ zài chuī dízi), which means 'I am playing the flute.' It can also be used in expressions like '别吹牛' (Bié chuī niú), meaning 'Don't brag.'
吹 (chuī) means 'to blow' or 'to play a wind instrument.' It can also refer to actions like puffing or blasting, and is often used in casual contexts to mean boasting or bragging about something.
It means 'to blow' and can also refer to boasting or playing a wind instrument.
Yes, but its meaning related to boasting is more informal.
You can say 吹气 (chuī qì) for 'to blow air' or 吹牛 (chuī niú) for 'to brag'.
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