奏 meaning and stroke order
To play music; to achieve; to present a memorial to the emperor (old)
How to write 奏, stroke by stroke
9 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 奏
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to play music
- to achieve
- to present a memorial to the emperor (old)
How 奏 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A report about (above) the emperor 天.
Radical: 大 (big), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 奏
The bottom of 奏 is 天 (tiān), sky or heaven, standing for the emperor, the Son of Heaven. The top part is a report raised up to him, so 奏 first meant presenting a report to the emperor, and later playing music before him.
Today 奏 is used mostly in words about performing music, such as 演奏 (yǎnzòu), 伴奏 (bànzòu) and 节奏 (jiézòu). It also appears in 奏效 (zòuxiào), meaning a plan works. Example: 她在音乐会上演奏钢琴。(Tā zài yīnyuèhuì shàng yǎnzòu gāngqín.) She played the piano at the concert.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 奏 with 凑 (còu, to gather) and 揍 (zòu, to beat someone up), which share the same right part. Keep 奏 for music and reports, and remember 揍 has the hand radical 扌 because it means hitting.
Common words with 奏
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 演奏 | yǎnzòu | to perform on a musical instrument | HSK 6 |
| 节奏 | jiézòu | rhythm; tempo | HSK 6 |
| 奏效 | zòuxiào | to show results; to be effective | HSK 7-9 |
| 伴奏 | bànzòu | to accompany (musically) | HSK 7-9 |
| 弹奏 | tánzòu | to play (musical instrument, esp. string) | |
| 独奏 | dúzòu | solo | |
| 吹奏 | chuīzòu | to play (wind instruments) | |
| 四重奏 | sìchóngzòu | quartet (musical ensemble) | |
| 前奏 | qiánzòu | prelude; presage | |
| 协奏曲 | xiézòuqǔ | concerto |
奏 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 奏
Learning 奏 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 奏
How many strokes are in 奏?
奏 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 奏 mean?
奏 (zòu) means to play music; to achieve; to present a memorial to the emperor (old). A common word with it is 演奏 (yǎnzòu), meaning "to perform on a musical instrument".
How do you pronounce 奏?
奏 is pronounced zòu, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 奏?
The radical of 奏 is 大, which carries the idea of "big". Dictionaries list 奏 under this radical.
Is 奏 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 奏 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Can I use 奏 alone to say I play an instrument?
Not usually. In everyday speech, say 弹钢琴 (tán gāngqín) or 拉小提琴 (lā xiǎotíqín), or use 演奏 for a formal performance. Alone, 奏 sounds literary, as in 奏国歌 (zòu guógē), to play the national anthem.
What is the difference between 演奏 and 弹奏?
演奏 is the general word for performing on any instrument. 弹奏 is specifically for instruments you pluck or strike with fingers, like piano or guitar, while 吹奏 is for wind instruments.