挠 meaning and stroke order
To scratch; to thwart; to yield
How to write 挠, 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 挠
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to scratch
- to thwart
- to yield
How 挠 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 尧 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 挠
挠 combines the hand radical 扌 with 尧 (yáo), which gives the sound. Picture a hand reaching up to scratch an itch, and remember that 尧 hints at the rising tone of náo.
In daily speech 挠 most often means to scratch, as in 挠头 (náotóu) or 挠痒痒 (náoyǎngyang). In formal writing it appears in 阻挠 (zǔnáo), to obstruct, and in the idiom 不屈不挠 (bù qū bù náo), unyielding. Example: 他不好意思地挠了挠头。(Tā bù hǎoyìsi de náo le náo tóu.) He scratched his head in embarrassment.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 挠 with 浇 (jiāo, to water) and 烧 (shāo, to burn), which share the 尧 part but take different radicals and sounds. Check the left side: only the hand 扌 gives náo.
Common words with 挠
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 阻挠 | zǔnáo | to thwart; to obstruct (sth) | HSK 7-9 |
| 挠痒痒 | náoyǎngyang | to tickle |
Questions about 挠
How many strokes are in 挠?
挠 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 挠 mean?
挠 (náo) means to scratch; to thwart; to yield. A common word with it is 阻挠 (zǔnáo), meaning "to thwart; to obstruct (sth)".
How do you pronounce 挠?
挠 is pronounced náo, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 挠?
The radical of 挠 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 挠 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 挠?
The traditional form of 挠 is 撓. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 挠 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 挠 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 挠 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 挠 and 抓 when talking about scratching?
挠 (náo) is the light, repeated scratching you do for an itch. 抓 (zhuā) means to grab, and can also mean to scratch harder, like a cat scratching someone. For an itch, both 挠痒 and 抓痒 are heard.
How do you use 挠 in the idiom 不屈不挠?
不屈不挠 (bù qū bù náo) means not bending and not yielding, so it describes someone very determined. Here 挠 carries its older sense of to yield. It is used to praise people, as in 不屈不挠的精神 (bù qū bù náo de jīngshén), an indomitable spirit.