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告知 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
告知gàozhīto informHSK 7, unknown, 15 strokes, rank #4578, Very Hard
gàozhī(gao4zhi1) T4
  1. 1to inform
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March 24, 2026

告知gàozhī(gao4zhi1)

告知 (gào zhī) means 'to inform' or 'to notify.' It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when conveying important information or updates to someone. This term is particularly prevalent in written communication, such as official notices or announcements.

Strokes15Frequency#4578DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of informing someone—especially regarding important news or changes—is seen as a responsibility and a sign of respect. For instance, in business settings, it is crucial to keep colleagues informed to maintain harmony and cooperation.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person holding a megaphone (告) to loudly 'inform' (知) a crowd. The megaphone represents the act of informing, while the character for 'to know' (知) signifies the knowledge being shared. Together, they create a vivid image of communication.

Meanings of 告知

gàozhī(gao4zhi1)
1to inform
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About 告知

告知Simplified
15Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 告知

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Podcast: 告知

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AI Study Notes for 告知

Quick Contrast

通知 (tōngzhī) vs 通报 (tōngbào) — use 告知 when emphasizing the act of informing rather than the formal notification aspect of 通知 or the reporting nature of 通报.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the context in which you use 告知, as it may sound too formal in casual conversations. Common collocations include 告知信息 (to inform information) or 告知情况 (to inform about a situation). The first tone in '告' should be pronounced with a rising inflection for clarity.

HSK Study Tips

Although 告知 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it is relevant for learners around HSK 4, focusing on vocabulary related to communication. Students should practice using it in different sentence structures to enhance their fluency.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 告知 with 告诉 (gào sù), which means 'to tell.' For example, saying '我告知他这个' (I inform him this) is incorrect; it should be '我告诉他这个.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 告知

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Component Characters

告gàoto tell
HSK 77 strokes口
View full entry
知zhīto know
HSK 68 strokes矢
View full entry

How to say to inform in Chinese

“to inform” in Chinese is告知gàozhī

告知 (gào zhī) means 'to inform' or 'to notify.' It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts when conveying important information or updates to someone. This term is particularly prevalent in written communication, such as official notices or announcements.

When to use 告知

Be mindful of the context in which you use 告知, as it may sound too formal in casual conversations. Common collocations include 告知信息 (to inform information) or 告知情况 (to inform about a situation). The first tone in '告' should be pronounced with a rising inflection for clarity.

告知 or something close to it

通知 (tōngzhī) vs 通报 (tōngbào) — use 告知 when emphasizing the act of informing rather than the formal notification aspect of 通知 or the reporting nature of 通报.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 告知 with 告诉 (gào sù), which means 'to tell.' For example, saying '我告知他这个' (I inform him this) is incorrect; it should be '我告诉他这个.'

Write 告知

告
知

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 告知

While you can use it informally, it is better suited for formal situations or written context.

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