Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
仇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
仇qiúhatredHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇qiúanimosityHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇qiúspouseHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇qiúenmityHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇qiúcompanionHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇qiúfoeHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇qiúenemyHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇qiúto feel animosity toward (the wealthy, foreigners etc)HSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇qiúsurname QiuHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇chóuhatredHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇chóuanimosityHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇chóuspouseHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇chóuenmityHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇chóucompanionHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇chóufoeHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇chóuenemyHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇chóuto feel animosity toward (the wealthy, foreigners etc)HSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
仇chóusurname QiuHSK 7, n, 4 strokes, radical 亻, rank #7920, Very Hard
chóu(chou2)
primary
 T2
  1. 1hatred
  2. 2animosity
Also a Chinese surname, Qiu — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

仇chóu(chou2)

The character 仇 (chóu) primarily means 'hatred' or 'animosity', often reflecting a deep-seated feeling of enmity towards someone or something. It can also refer to a foe or enemy, and in some contexts, it may denote a companion or spouse, reflecting complex social ties. This word is commonly used when discussing conflicts or rivalries.

Strokes4Radical亻Frequency#7920DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 仇 can be linked to the idea of 'blood feuds' or longstanding family rivalries, which are significant in historical narratives and literature. This character can also be found in discussions about social inequalities and tensions, particularly in modern contexts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person (人) holding a grudge (仇) against someone else, surrounded by clouds of anger (the radical for enmity). You can visualize the 'chóu' sound as someone shouting in frustration, 'No, I can't forgive you!' This helps connect the character’s look and sound to its meaning.

Meanings of 仇

chóu(chou2)
primary
1hatred
2animosity
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 仇

仇Simplified
4Strokes
亻Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#7920Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 仇

JasonAmy

Podcast: 仇

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 仇

Quick Contrast

仇 (chóu) vs 敌 (dí) — use 仇 for personal animosity or hatred, while 敌 refers to an enemy in a broader, often impersonal context.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 仇 with similar-sounding words or characters, leading to errors in conveying animosity or hatred. It is typically used in more serious contexts, so avoid using it in light-hearted conversations. Common collocations include 仇恨 (hatred) and 仇敌 (enemy). Be careful with tone, as mispronunciation can alter meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 仇 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to themes of interpersonal relationships and emotions, relevant at higher HSK levels. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in literature and conversations about conflict to deepen their understanding of social dynamics.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly write 仇 with the wrong radicals, leading to confusing it with other characters like 愁 (chóu, meaning 'to worry'). Ensure you remember that 仇 relates directly to enmity and hatred.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 仇

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 仇 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 仇

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

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 九 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

person

Semantic (meaning)亻
+
Phonetic (sound)九
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 仇

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 九 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half亻 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half九 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayperson
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 仇? 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 仇?

Decomposition of 仇

IDS Structure⿰亻九
仇Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
九jiu3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 仇?

How to say hatred in Chinese

“hatred” in Chinese is仇qiú

The character 仇 (chóu) primarily means 'hatred' or 'animosity', often reflecting a deep-seated feeling of enmity towards someone or something. It can also refer to a foe or enemy, and in some contexts, it may denote a companion or spouse, reflecting complex social ties. This word is commonly used when discussing conflicts or rivalries.

When to use 仇

Learners often confuse 仇 with similar-sounding words or characters, leading to errors in conveying animosity or hatred. It is typically used in more serious contexts, so avoid using it in light-hearted conversations. Common collocations include 仇恨 (hatred) and 仇敌 (enemy). Be careful with tone, as mispronunciation can alter meaning.

仇 or something close to it

仇 (chóu) vs 敌 (dí) — use 仇 for personal animosity or hatred, while 敌 refers to an enemy in a broader, often impersonal context.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly write 仇 with the wrong radicals, leading to confusing it with other characters like 愁 (chóu, meaning 'to worry'). Ensure you remember that 仇 relates directly to enmity and hatred.

Write 仇

仇

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 仇

仇 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 9 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

这件事使得村里邻里间反目成____。

The case has set neighbour against neighbour in the village.

Example Sentences for 仇 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这件事使得村里邻里间反目成仇。

zhè jiàn shì shǐ dé cūn lǐ lín lǐ jiān fǎn mù chéng chóu。

The case has set neighbour against neighbour in the village.
2
那一刻，一股仇恨在我的血液中翻涌。

nà yī kè， ， yī gǔ chóu hèn zài wǒ de xiě yè zhōng fān。

In that moment a surge of hatred flowed through my blood.
3
她虽说仇恨他们，但绝不至于去杀人。

tā suī shuō chóu hèn tā mén， ， dàn jué bù zhì yú qù shā。

Her hatred of them would never lead her to murder.
4
最好别和检查员发生冲突，他们可爱记仇了。

zuì hǎo bié hé jiǎn chá yuán fā shēng chōng tū， ， tā mén kě ài jì chóu。

Better not tangle with the censors. They're very vindictive.
5
金旺自从碰了小芹的钉子以后,每分怀恨, 总想设法报一报仇.

jīn wàng zì cóng pèng le xiǎo qín de dīng zǐ yǐ hòu, , měi fēn huái, hèn , zǒng xiǎng shè fǎ bào yī.

Ever since Qin rebuffed him, Wang longed for revenge.
6
因此,这个贪婪的犹太人就跟慷慨的商人安东尼奥结下了很深的仇恨.

yīn cǐ, , zhè gè tān lán de yóu tài rén jiù gēn kāng kǎi de shāng rén ān dōng ní ào jié xià le hěn shēn de chóu.

Therefore there was great enmity between this covetous Jew and the generous merchant Antonio.
7
战争让大家充满仇恨并相互指责。

zhàn zhēng ràng dà jiā chōng mǎn chóu hèn bìng xiāng hù zhǐ zé。

The war sweeps up everyone in hatred and recrimination.
8
他对敌人有刻骨的仇恨.

tā duì dí rén yǒu kè gǔ de chóu hèn.

He conceived a profound hatred for his enemies.
9
在某些人身上这类事会引起他们对黑皮肤的人的刻骨仇恨.

zài mǒu xiē rén shēn shàng zhè lèi shì huì yǐn qǐ tā mén duì hēi pí fū de rén de kè gǔ chóu hèn.

It woke in some men a virulent hatred of a black skin.
10
世界上真会有这种刻骨的仇恨吗?

shì jiè shàng zhēn huì yǒu zhè zhǒng kè gǔ de chóu hèn ma?

Was it possible that there could be such relentless unforgiveness.

Word Family of 仇

Words Containing This Character20
复仇to avenge復仇
仇chóuhatred
仇恨chóuhènto hate
报仇bàochóuto avenge報仇
仇人chóurénfoe
仇视to view sb as an enemy仇視
记仇to hold a grudge記仇
仇敌enemy仇敵
恩仇debt of gratitude coupled with duty to avenge
私仇personal grudge
同仇敌忾anger against a common enemy (idiom); joined in opposition to the same adversary同仇敵愾
反目成仇to become enemies (idiom); to fall out with sb
寻仇to carry out a vendetta against sb尋仇
一箭之仇old grievance
仇怨hatred and desire for revenge
世仇feud
结仇to start a feud結仇
苦大仇深great bitterness, deep hatred (idiom); deeply ingrained long-standing resentment
报仇雪恨to take revenge and wipe out a grudge (idiom)報仇雪恨
恩将仇报to bite the hand that feeds one (idiom)恩將仇報
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 复仇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 仇

Common phrases include 仇恨 (hatred) and 仇敌 (enemy). These expressions highlight the character's use in discussing emotional conflicts.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 仇?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.