哭 meaning and stroke order
To cry; to weep
How to write 哭, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 哭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to cry; to weep
How 哭 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To shed a tear from your eyes 口 over a person 犬.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 哭
Picture two 口 on top as two eyes shedding tears, crying over the 犬 below. Note that the etymology hint reads 犬 here as a person, so imagine someone weeping over a figure lying beneath them.
哭 (kū) is the everyday verb for crying with tears or sound. It often appears with 了 or a result, as in 哭了 (kū le) or 大哭 (dàkū). Example: 孩子哭了。(Háizi kū le.) The child started crying.
Common mistake: Learners often write 犬 without its dot, which turns it into 大. The dot on the upper right is required. Some also confuse 哭 (kū) with 笑 (xiào, to laugh), especially in 哭笑不得 (kūxiào-bùdé), where crying comes first.
Common words with 哭
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 哭泣 | kūqì | to weep | HSK 7-9 |
| 哭笑不得 | kūxiào-bùdé | lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom); both funny and extremely embarrassing | HSK 7-9 |
| 哭声 | kūshēng | sound of weeping | |
| 大哭 | dàkū | to cry loudly | |
| 哭哭啼啼 | kūkutítí | to weep endlessly; interminable wailing | |
| 痛哭 | tòngkū | to cry bitterly | |
| 哭喊 | kūhǎn | to wail | |
| 哭闹 | kūnào | to bawl, disturbing others | |
| 哭诉 | kūsù | to lament; to complain tearfully |
哭 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 哭
How many strokes are in 哭?
哭 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 哭 mean?
哭 (kū) means to cry; to weep. A common word with it is 哭泣 (kūqì), meaning "to weep".
How do you pronounce 哭?
哭 is pronounced kū, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 哭?
The radical of 哭 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 哭 under this radical.
Is 哭 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 哭 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 哭 and 哭泣?
哭 (kū) is the common spoken word for crying. 哭泣 (kūqì) is more formal or literary and suggests quiet weeping, so it is used more in writing.
How do you say 'don't cry' in Chinese?
Say 别哭 (bié kū) or 不要哭 (bú yào kū). You can soften it with 了, as in 别哭了 (bié kū le), meaning 'stop crying now'.