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抖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
抖dǒuto trembleHSK 7, zg, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #6827, Hard
抖dǒuto shake outHSK 7, zg, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #6827, Hard
抖dǒuto revealHSK 7, zg, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #6827, Hard
抖dǒuto make it in the worldHSK 7, zg, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #6827, Hard
抖dǒuto tremble, to shake, to rouseHSK 7, zg, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #6827, Hard
dǒu(dou3) T3
  1. 1to tremble
  2. 2to shake out
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
抖dǒu(dou3)

The character 抖 (dǒu) primarily means 'to tremble' or 'to shake.' It is often used in contexts such as expressing physical shaking, like someone shivering from cold or excitement, as well as metaphorically, like revealing something unexpected. In modern usage, it can also refer to making a splash or becoming successful in a noticeable way.

Strokes7Radical扌Frequency#6827DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

The concept of shaking or trembling is often associated with traditional Chinese beliefs about anxiety or excitement, where physical reactions are seen as manifestations of emotional states. Additionally, the character is used in the name of popular social media platforms, indicating a modern cultural shift towards digital expression.

Memory Tip

Imagine a dog (the left side of 抖) that shakes off water after a bath, creating a splash. This shaking sound can remind you of the pronunciation 'dǒu.' The hand (the right side) is like someone shaking out their clothes to reveal something hidden.

Meanings of 抖

dǒu(dou3)
1to tremble
2to shake out
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 抖

抖Simplified
7Strokes
扌Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#6827Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 抖

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Podcast: 抖

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AI Study Notes for 抖

Quick Contrast

颤 (chàn) - use 抖 (dǒu) for general shaking, while 颤 (chàn) emphasizes a quivering or trembling motion, often due to fear or anxiety.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a dog (the left side of 抖) that shakes off water after a bath, creating a splash. This shaking sound can remind you of the pronunciation 'dǒu.' The hand (the right side) is like someone shaking out their clothes to reveal something hidden.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 抖 with similar-sounding characters, as tone is crucial. It is often used in informal contexts, so be mindful of your audience. Common collocations include 抖动 (dǒudòng - to shake) and 抖音 (dǒuyīn - TikTok) which shows its modern relevance.

HSK Study Tips

While 抖 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary list, it connects to other action verbs you might encounter at HSK 3 and 4, such as 跑 (pǎo - to run) and 跳 (tiào - to jump). Focus on its usage in colloquial phrases and the various contexts it appears in.

Cultural Note

The concept of shaking or trembling is often associated with traditional Chinese beliefs about anxiety or excitement, where physical reactions are seen as manifestations of emotional states. Additionally, the character is used in the name of popular social media platforms, indicating a modern cultural shift towards digital expression.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 抖 with similar characters like 斗 (dǒu - to fight) due to the similar pronunciation. Remember, 抖 emphasizes shaking, while 斗 refers to fighting or contention.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 抖

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Etymology of 抖

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 斗 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 抖?

Decomposition of 抖

IDS Structure⿰扌斗
抖Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
斗Dou3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 抖?

Write 抖

抖

Practice writing 抖 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 抖

抖 carries 5 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

她激动得声音颤____，对他说：“这好像不公平吧。”

Her voice breaking with emotion, she told him: "It doesn't seem fair".

Common Confusions with 抖

抖vs斗
dòu

Similar shape but different meanings and usages.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to tremble"?

or

Example Sentences for 抖 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
她激动得声音颤抖，对他说：“这好像不公平吧。”

tā jī dòng dé shēng yīn chàn dǒu， ， duì tā：“ shuō ：“ zhè hǎo xiàng bù gōng。”

Her voice breaking with emotion, she told him: "It doesn't seem fair".
2
他说话时声音沙哑颤抖。

tā shuō huà shí shēng yīn shā yǎ chàn dǒu。

When he spoke, his voice was hoarse and cracked.
3
患有社交恐惧症的人一想到要见陌生人就发抖。

huàn yǒu shè jiāo kǒng jù zhèng de rén yī xiǎng dào yào jiàn mò shēng rén jiù fā dǒu。

Social phobics quake at the thought of meeting strangers.
4
他们聊天时会在阳台上抖搂浴巾。

tā mén liáo tiān shí huì zài yáng tái shàng dǒu lǒu yù jīn。

They would flap bath towels from their balconies as they chatted.
5
当迈拉告诉卡普她会把他的过去全抖搂出去时，卡普大为光火。

dāng mài lā gào sù kǎ pǔ tā huì bǎ tā de guò qù quán dǒu lǒu chū qù shí， ， kǎ pǔ dà wéi guāng。

When Myra told Karp she'd expose his past, he blew up.
6
趁着烧水的时候，她决定将地毯抖抖干净。

chèn zháo shāo shuǐ de shí hòu， ， tā jué dìng jiāng dì tǎn dǒu dǒu gān。

While the water was heating she decided to shake out the carpet.
7
麦克说出最后这两个字时，吓得声音颤抖。

mài kè shuō chū zuì hòu zhè liǎng gè zì shí， ， xià dé shēng yīn chàn。

Mack made his voice quiver with fear on these last two words.
8
将多余的面粉抖落干净，再把肝脏放进锅中。

jiāng duō yú de miàn fěn dǒu luò gān jìng， ， zài bǎ gān zāng fàng jìn guō。

Shake off any excess flour before putting livers in the pan.
9
你抖得很厉害,格雷西.

nǐ dǒu dé hěn lì hài, , gé léi.

You're shivering fit to die, Gracie.
10
弗莱厄蒂在愤怒的痉挛中发抖 ( 安东尼伯吉斯 )

fú lái è dì zài fèn nù de jìng luán zhōng fā dǒu( ( ān dōng ní bó jí)

Flaherty dithered in a little palsy of indignation ( Anthony Burgess )

Cultural Notes for 抖

🏮Cultural insight

The concept of shaking or trembling is often associated with traditional Chinese beliefs about anxiety or excitement, where physical reactions are seen as manifestations of emotional states. Additionally, the character is used in the name of popular social media platforms, indicating a modern cultural shift towards digital expression.

Word Family of 抖

Compounds1
唞
Words Containing This Character12
抖dǒuto tremble
颤抖chàndǒuto shudder顫抖
发抖fādǒuto tremble發抖
抖动to tremble抖動
精神抖擞full of energy精神抖擻
瑟瑟发抖to shiver瑟瑟發抖
抖落to shake out
抖擞to rouse抖擻
抖擞精神to gather one's spirits抖擻精神
战抖to shudder戰抖
抖搂to shake out抖摟
抖瑟to quiver
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 抖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 抖

Common phrases include 抖动 (dǒudòng - to shake) and 抖音 (dǒuyīn - TikTok), which reflect both physical and digital contexts.