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揍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
揍zòuto beat upHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2082, Very Hard
揍zòuto break to piecesHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2082, Very Hard
揍zòuto hit, to beat; to smash, to breakHSK 7, v, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2082, Very Hard
zòu(zou4)zou T4
  1. 1to beat up
  2. 2to break to pieces
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March 24, 2026

揍zòu(zou4)

The verb '揍' (zòu) means to strike or beat someone, often implying physical aggression. It is commonly used in informal contexts to describe fighting or attacking someone, usually in a somewhat casual or humorous tone. The nuance can vary based on context, sometimes indicating playful roughhousing or serious violence.

Strokes12Radical扌Frequency#2082DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

'揍' often comes up in discussions about martial arts or street fighting, reflecting the cultural significance of physical prowess in certain contexts. Additionally, it can appear in humorous exchanges among friends, showing a lighter side to aggressive language.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'zoo' (sounds like 'zòu') where animals are playfully 'beating' each other up, like monkeys throwing bananas. The character 揍 features the hand radical (扌), which signifies actions done by hand, connecting it to the idea of hitting or striking.

Meanings of 揍

zòu(zou4)
1to beat up
2to break to pieces
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 揍

揍Simplified
12Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2082Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 揍

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Podcast: 揍

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AI Study Notes for 揍

Quick Contrast

打 (dǎ) - use '揍' when emphasizing a rough or aggressive beating, whereas '打' can imply hitting in a broader, less aggressive sense.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the informal connotation of '揍'; using it in formal contexts may seem inappropriate. Common collocations include phrases like '揍人' (to hit someone) and '揍得很惨' (to beat up badly). Ensure to use the correct tone when pronouncing it, as mispronunciation could lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, '揍' is useful for discussing more advanced topics, like conflict or physical actions in narratives. Students should focus on learning related verbs and phrases that describe physical actions to expand their vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse '揍' with '打' (dǎ), thinking they are interchangeable. '打' is more general and can mean to hit in various contexts, while '揍' specifically emphasizes beating up or attacking someone. For example, saying '我揍他' (I hit him) is correct, but saying '我打他' (I beat him) may imply a different context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 揍

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Etymology of 揍

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

hand

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

Origin

揍 = 扌 + 奏. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 揍

IDS Structure⿰扌奏
揍Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
奏zou4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 揍?

How to say to beat up in Chinese

“to beat up” in Chinese is揍zòu

The verb '揍' (zòu) means to strike or beat someone, often implying physical aggression. It is commonly used in informal contexts to describe fighting or attacking someone, usually in a somewhat casual or humorous tone. The nuance can vary based on context, sometimes indicating playful roughhousing or serious violence.

When to use 揍

Be mindful of the informal connotation of '揍'; using it in formal contexts may seem inappropriate. Common collocations include phrases like '揍人' (to hit someone) and '揍得很惨' (to beat up badly). Ensure to use the correct tone when pronouncing it, as mispronunciation could lead to misunderstandings.

揍 or something close to it

打 (dǎ) - use '揍' when emphasizing a rough or aggressive beating, whereas '打' can imply hitting in a broader, less aggressive sense.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse '揍' with '打' (dǎ), thinking they are interchangeable. '打' is more general and can mean to hit in various contexts, while '揍' specifically emphasizes beating up or attacking someone. For example, saying '我揍他' (I hit him) is correct, but saying '我打他' (I beat him) may imply a different context.

Write 揍

揍

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

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Grammar Patterns of 揍

揍 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

Fill the gap

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

萨拉要是捉住她,会狠狠____她一顿的。

If Sarah caught her, she would get a thrashing.

Example Sentences for 揍 (10)

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1
萨拉要是捉住她,会狠狠揍她一顿的。

sà lā yào shì zhuō zhù tā, , huì hěn hěn zòu tā yī dùn。

If Sarah caught her, she would get a thrashing.
2
那伙人也想过要揍他,但最后只是啐了他一口。

nà huǒ rén yě xiǎng guò yào zòu tā, , dàn zuì hòu zhī shì cuì le tā yī。

The gang thought of hitting him too, but decided just to spit.
3
他们像小学生一样,在地板上滚来滚去,互相挥着拳头揍对方。

tā mén xiàng xiǎo xué shēng yī yàng, , zài dì bǎn shàng gǔn lái gǔn, qù , hù xiāng huī zháo quán tóu zòu。

They just rolled about on the floor punching each other like schoolboys.
4
他们把他扔进牢房,揍了他几下。

tā mén bǎ tā rēng jìn láo fáng, , zòu le tā jī。

They threw him in a cell and roughed him up a bit.
5
上啊,伙计们,狠狠揍他们一顿!

shàng ā, , huǒ jì, mén , hěn hěn zòu tā mén!

Go on lads, beat the living daylights out of them!
6
如果你再不闭嘴, 我可要揍你一顿.

rú guǒ nǐ zài bù bì zuǐ, , wǒ kě yào zòu nǐ yī.

If you don't shut your mouth, I'll clock you one.
7
他们一面干活, 一面谈论着他们很可能会挨一顿胖揍.

tā mén yī miàn gān huó, , yī miàn tán lùn zháo tā mén hěn kě néng huì āi yī dùn pàng.

While the boys worked, they talked of the lickings they would likely get.
8
停了一会, 矮个汉子说: “ 我揍了她. ”

tíng le yī huì, , ǎi gè hàn zǐ:“ shuō : “ wǒ zòu.”

There was a pause, then the man said: " I hit her. "
9
雷切尔揍了他一下。

léi qiē ěr zòu le tā yī xià。

Rachel clouted him.
10
马蒂太棒了─他毫不含糊地揍了那些光头仔.

mǎ dì tài bàng le─ ─ tā háo bù hán hū dì zòu le nà xiē guāng tóu.

Marty was terrific — he just waded into the skinheads without a thought.

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Word Family of 揍

Words Containing This Character2
揍zòuto beat up
挨揍to be beaten
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 揍

What does 挨揍 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 揍

While its primary meaning relates to physical aggression, it can also describe breaking something in a more general sense.

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