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抠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
抠kōuto lift, to raise; tight-fistedHSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #15769, Very Hard
抠kōuto dig outHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #15769, Very Hard
抠kōuto pick out (with one's fingers)HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #15769, Very Hard
抠kōuto carveHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #15769, Very Hard
抠kōuto cutHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #15769, Very Hard
抠kōuto study meticulouslyHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #15769, Very Hard
抠kōuto lift one's clothesHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #15769, Very Hard
抠kōustingyHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #15769, Very Hard
抠kōumiserlyHSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #15769, Very Hard
kōu(kou1)kou T1
  1. 1to lift, to raise; tight-fisted
  2. 2to dig out
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March 24, 2026

抠(摳)kōu(kou1)

The character 抠 (kōu) primarily means to dig out or pick out something with one's fingers. It can also imply being stingy or miserly in terms of spending or sharing. This word is often used in informal contexts to describe someone who is overly frugal or unwilling to part with their money.

Strokes7Radical扌Frequency#15769DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, being viewed as 抠 can have significant social implications, as sharing and generosity are valued traits. A person described as 抠 may be seen as lacking social grace during gatherings where sharing is customary.

Memory tip

Imagine a person digging into their pockets to pull out just a few coins, being very careful not to let go of anything else. The character 抠 looks like a hand (the radical '扌' represents hand) digging into a wallet, connecting the action of digging with the idea of being tight-fisted.

Meanings of 抠

kōu(kou1)
1to lift, to raise; tight-fisted
2to dig out
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 抠

抠Simplified
摳Traditional
7Strokes
扌Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 抠

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AI study notes for 抠

Quick Contrast

抠 (kōu) vs 吝啬 (lìn sè) — use 抠 for informal contexts or when describing a person's behavior, while 吝啬 is more formal and refers specifically to stinginess.

Usage Notes

When using 抠, be aware that it is generally informal and can carry a negative connotation when describing someone's personality. Common collocations include 抠门 (kōumén), meaning 'stingy,' and it's important to use the third tone correctly to avoid confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

While 抠 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it can be related to other characters at similar learning levels focused on actions (e.g., dig, pick). Students should pay attention to the tone and practice using it in context to reinforce its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 抠 with similar-sounding words. For instance, using 'kòu' (口) instead of 'kōu' can lead to misunderstandings. Always remember to use the correct tone when speaking.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 抠

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Etymology of 抠

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 区 represents the sound. Simplified form of 摳.

Memory hint

hand

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

Origin

抠 = 扌 + 区. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 抠

IDS Structure⿰扌区
抠Full character
=
扌shou3
left
区Ou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 抠?

How to say to lift, to raise; tight-fisted in Chinese

“to lift, to raise; tight-fisted” in Chinese is抠kōu

The character 抠 (kōu) primarily means to dig out or pick out something with one's fingers. It can also imply being stingy or miserly in terms of spending or sharing. This word is often used in informal contexts to describe someone who is overly frugal or unwilling to part with their money.

When to use 抠

When using 抠, be aware that it is generally informal and can carry a negative connotation when describing someone's personality. Common collocations include 抠门 (kōumén), meaning 'stingy,' and it's important to use the third tone correctly to avoid confusion with other words.

抠 or something close to it

抠 (kōu) vs 吝啬 (lìn sè) — use 抠 for informal contexts or when describing a person's behavior, while 吝啬 is more formal and refers specifically to stinginess.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 抠 with similar-sounding words. For instance, using 'kòu' (口) instead of 'kōu' can lead to misunderstandings. Always remember to use the correct tone when speaking.

Write 抠

抠

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

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Word Family of 抠

Words containing this character2
抠kōuto dig out摳
抠字眼to be fastidious about phrasing, diction, or choice of words摳字眼
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 抠

What does 抠字眼 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 抠

No, 抠 can also refer to the physical action of digging or picking with fingers, as well as meticulous study or examination.

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