度 meaning and stroke order
To pass; to spend (time); measure
How to write 度, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Meaning of 度
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to pass
- to spend (time)
- measure
- limit
- extent
- degree of intensity
- to estimate
- Taiwan pr. [duo4]
How 度 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Twenty 廿 people 又 meeting inside a building 广 to deliberate.
Radical: 广 (broad), shared by 60 characters on this site.
How to remember 度
Picture twenty 廿 people, each a hand 又, gathered under one roof 广 to deliberate and weigh things up. Meetings like that set the rules, measures and limits, which is why 度 (dù) covers degree, measure and system.
度 (dù) appears mostly in compound words about amount or level, like 温度 (wēndù) temperature, 速度 (sùdù) speed and 程度 (chéngdù) extent. It is also a unit for degrees of temperature or angle, and a verb meaning to spend time, as in 度过 (dùguò). Example: 今天三十度。(Jīntiān sānshí dù.) It is thirty degrees today.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 度 with 席 (xí, seat), which has the same 广 roof but 巾 at the bottom instead of 又. Also remember that 态度 (tàidù) is a noun, so say 他的态度很好 (tā de tàidù hěn hǎo), not use it as a verb.
Common words with 度
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 态度 | tàidù | manner; bearing | HSK 2 |
| 角度 | jiǎodù | angle; (fig.) point of view | HSK 2 |
| 温度 | wēndù | temperature | HSK 2 |
| 速度 | sùdù | speed; rate; velocity; (music) tempo | HSK 3 |
| 程度 | chéngdù | degree; level; extent | HSK 3 |
| 制度 | zhìdù | system (e.g. political, adminstrative etc); institution | HSK 3 |
| 难度 | nándù | degree of difficulty | HSK 3 |
| 度过 | dùguò | to pass; to spend (time) | HSK 4 |
| 季度 | jìdù | quarter of a year; season (sports) | HSK 4 |
| 高度 | gāodù | height; altitude | HSK 5 |
| 过度 | guòdù | excessive; over- | HSK 5 |
| 深度 | shēndù | depth; (of a speech etc) profundity | HSK 5 |
| 年度 | niándù | year (e.g. school year, fiscal year); annual | HSK 5 |
| 长度 | chángdù | length | HSK 5 |
度 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 度
Learning 度 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 度
How many strokes are in 度?
度 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 度 mean?
度 (dù) means to pass; to spend (time); measure. A common word with it is 态度 (tàidù), meaning "manner; bearing".
How do you pronounce 度?
度 is pronounced dù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 度?
The radical of 度 is 广, which carries the idea of "broad". Dictionaries list 度 under this radical.
Is 度 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 度 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.
When is 度 pronounced duó instead of dù?
It is read duó when it means to estimate or guess, mostly in set phrases like 揣度 (chuǎiduó) to speculate. In Taiwan this sense is often pronounced duò. In everyday words like 温度 and 速度 it is always dù.
How do I say a temperature or angle with 度?
Put the number before 度, as in 二十五度 (èrshíwǔ dù) 25 degrees. For below zero, say 零下五度 (língxià wǔ dù) minus five degrees. For angles, 九十度 (jiǔshí dù) means 90 degrees.