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扣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
扣kòuto fastenHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuto buttonHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòubuttonHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòubuckleHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuknotHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuto arrestHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuto confiscateHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuto deduct (money)HSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòudiscountHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuto knockHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuto smash or spike (a ball)HSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuto cover (with a bowl etc)HSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòufig. to tag a label on sbHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuto detain; to knock, to tap; buttonHSK 6, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
扣kòuto smash, spike or dunk (a ball)HSK 6, unknown, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2446, Hard
kòu(kou4)kou T4
  1. 1to fasten
  2. 2to button
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

扣kòu(kou4)

The character 扣 (kòu) primarily means 'to fasten' or 'to button,' but it also encompasses a range of meanings including 'to deduct,' 'to arrest,' and 'to cover.' Commonly used in both literal contexts, such as fastening clothing, and figurative contexts, such as deducting money or tagging someone, it reflects a versatile notion of attachment and removal.

Strokes6Radical扌Frequency#2446DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the idea of扣 can relate to the concept of accountability, especially in financial dealings where deductions or '扣款' are common practices, reflecting a meticulous approach to managing finances.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'knot' (扣) that you use to fasten a button on your shirt. The character looks like a 'k' with a 'cover' on top ('扣'), reminding you that it’s about covering or fastening things together. Visualize tying a knot to remember its pronunciation and meaning.

Meanings of 扣

kòu(kou4)
1to fasten
2to button
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 扣

扣Simplified
6Strokes
扌Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2446Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3BCT✓CEFRC1

Podcast: 扣

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Podcast: 扣

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AI study notes for 扣

Quick Contrast

扣 (kòu) vs 夹 (jiā) — use 扣 when referring specifically to fastening or buttoning, while 夹 is more about clamping or pinching.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the pronunciation as it can confuse learners when used in different tones. It's often used in contexts related to finance (扣款, 'to deduct payment') or in law enforcement (扣押, 'to detain'). Misusing it in informal contexts may lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 扣 connects with other verbs that imply action or control, such as 绑 (bǎng, 'to tie') and 拿 (ná, 'to take'). Focus on its various uses in different contexts to enhance vocabulary breadth.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 扣 with other similar-sounding words. For example, they might say 扣了 (kòu le) when they mean '扣款' (kòu kuǎn, 'deduct money'), losing the specific meaning of the term. Always clarify the context to avoid ambiguity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 扣

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Etymology of 扣

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 口 represents the sound. Simplified form of 釦.

Memory hint

hand

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

Origin

扣 = 扌 + 口. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 扣

IDS Structure⿰扌口
扣Full character
=
扌shou3
left
口kou3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 扣?

How to say to fasten in Chinese

“to fasten” in Chinese is扣kòu

The character 扣 (kòu) primarily means 'to fasten' or 'to button,' but it also encompasses a range of meanings including 'to deduct,' 'to arrest,' and 'to cover.' Commonly used in both literal contexts, such as fastening clothing, and figurative contexts, such as deducting money or tagging someone, it reflects a versatile notion of attachment and removal.

When to use 扣

Be cautious with the pronunciation as it can confuse learners when used in different tones. It's often used in contexts related to finance (扣款, 'to deduct payment') or in law enforcement (扣押, 'to detain'). Misusing it in informal contexts may lead to misunderstandings.

扣 or something close to it

扣 (kòu) vs 夹 (jiā) — use 扣 when referring specifically to fastening or buttoning, while 夹 is more about clamping or pinching.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 扣 with other similar-sounding words. For example, they might say 扣了 (kòu le) when they mean '扣款' (kòu kuǎn, 'deduct money'), losing the specific meaning of the term. Always clarify the context to avoid ambiguity.

Write 扣

扣

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

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Grammar patterns of 扣

扣 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 15 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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

依据公司的规定,迟到要____工资。

According to company rules, being late results in a pay deduction.

Example sentences for 扣 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
弗兰开始不由自主地唠叨起乔恩是怎样无可避免地被扣留的。

fú lán kāishǐ bùyóuzìzhǔ dì láodao qǐ qiáo ēn shì zěnyàng wú kě bìmiǎn dì bèi kòuliú de。

Fran began her automatic patter about how Jon had been unavoidably detained.
2
几乎可以肯定,被逮捕的男子将被扣押在该警察局。

jīhū kěyǐ kěndìng, bèi dàibǔ de nánzǐ jiāng bèi kòuyā zài gāi jǐngchá jú。

The arrested man will almost certainly be kept at this police station.
3
他们扣留了他3个小时后放走了他。

tāmen kòuliú le tā3 gè xiǎoshí hòu fàng zǒu le tā。

They held him for three hours and they let him go.
4
她对堕胎和女权主义的反对态度表明她是个不折不扣的传统主义者。

tā duì duò tāi hé nǚ quán zhǔyì de fǎnduì tàidù biǎomíng tā shì gè bùzhé-búkòu de chuántǒng zhǔyì zhě。

Her opposition to abortion and feminism mark her as a convinced traditionalist.
5
围好围巾,扣好衣服。

wéi hǎo wéijīn, kòu hǎo yīfu。

Keep your scarf on, do your coat up.
6
玛丽系好扣子。

mǎ lí jì hǎo kòu zi。

Mari did up the buttons.
7
请替我把衣服背后扣好, 好吗?

qǐng tì wǒ bǎ yīfu bèihòu kòu hǎo, hǎoma?

Will you do my dress up at the back, please?
8
那部电影原来是部扣人心弦的惊悚片。

nà bù diànyǐng yuánlái shì bù kòurénxīnxián de jīng sǒng piàn。

The film turned out to be a gripping thriller.
9
在换季之初抢先购买通常会有折扣优惠。

zài huàn jì zhī chū qiǎng xiān gòumǎi tōngcháng huì yǒu zhékòu yōuhuì。

Early bird discounts are usually available at the beginning of the season.
10
我解开了自己黄灰相间的衬衫上最下面的两个纽扣。

wǒ jiěkāi le zìjǐ huáng huī Xiāng jiān de chènshān shàng zuì xiàmiàn de liǎng gè niǔkòu。

I undid the bottom two buttons of my yellow and grey shirt.

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Word Family of 扣

Compounds1
筘kòua roll of cloth
Words containing this character20
扣kòuto fasten
折扣zhékòudiscount
扣除kòuchúto deduct
扣押kòuyāto detain
纽扣niǔkòubutton紐扣
扣留kòuliúto detain
扣子kòuzibutton釦子
回扣huíkòubrokerage
不折不扣bùzhé-búkòua hundred percent
扣篮kòulánslam dunk扣籃
打折扣dǎzhékòuto give a discount
查扣chákòuto seize
扣球kòuqiúto spike
钮扣niǔkòubutton鈕釦
扣人心弦kòurénxīnxiánto excite
克扣kèkòuto dock剋扣
扣缴kòujiǎoto withhold扣繳
扣杀kòushāto spike扣殺
扣发kòufāto deprive扣發
扣帽子kòumàozipower word
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 扣

What does 筘 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 扣

Common phrases include 扣钱 (kòu qián, 'to deduct money') and 扣押 (kòu yā, 'to detain').

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