抠 meaning and stroke order
To dig; to pick; to scratch (with a finger or sth pointed); to carve; to cut; to study meticulously
How to write 抠, stroke by stroke
7 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
Meaning of 抠
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to dig; to pick; to scratch (with a finger or sth pointed)
- to carve; to cut
- to study meticulously
- stingy; miserly
- to lift up (esp. the hem of a robe)
How 抠 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 区 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 抠
The hand radical 扌 shows a hand at work, and 区 (qū) gives the sound. Picture a hand poking into a small boxed area 区 to dig or pick something out.
抠 (kōu) is common in speech for picking or digging with a finger, as in 抠鼻子 (kōu bízi, to pick one's nose). It is also casual slang for stingy: 他太抠了 (tā tài kōu le), He is so stingy. In 抠字眼 (kōu zìyǎn) it means to nitpick over wording.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 抠 with 扣 (kòu, to button, to deduct), since both use the hand radical and sound similar. Remember that 抠 is first tone and has 区 on the right, while 扣 is fourth tone and has 口.
Questions about 抠
How many strokes are in 抠?
抠 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 抠 mean?
抠 (kōu) means to dig; to pick; to scratch (with a finger or sth pointed); to carve; to cut; to study meticulously.
How do you pronounce 抠?
抠 is pronounced kōu, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 抠?
The radical of 抠 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 抠 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 抠?
The traditional form of 抠 is 摳. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 抠 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 抠 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 抠 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Is calling someone 抠 rude?
It is informal and a bit teasing, similar to calling someone cheap in English. Among friends it is often joking, but it can sound insulting to strangers. A more neutral word is 节俭 (jiéjiǎn, thrifty).
What does 抠门 mean?
抠门 (kōumén) or 抠门儿 is a colloquial word meaning stingy or tight-fisted. It is used just like 抠 in that sense, for example 他很抠门 (tā hěn kōumén), He is very stingy.