捣 meaning and stroke order
To thresh, to pound; to stir, to disturb; to attack
How to write 捣, 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 捣
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to pound
- to beat
- to hull
- to attack
- to disturb
- to stir
How 捣 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 岛 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 捣
The hand radical 扌 shows the action, and 岛 (dǎo, island) gives the sound. Picture a hand pounding the ground so hard it shakes a whole island.
捣 (dǎo) appears mostly in compounds. 捣乱 (dǎoluàn) and 捣蛋 (dǎodàn) describe making trouble, and 捣毁 (dǎohuǐ) means to smash or destroy. Example: 别在课上捣乱。(Bié zài kè shàng dǎoluàn.) Don't make trouble in class.
Common mistake: Learners often write 倒 (dǎo, to fall) or 岛 (dǎo, island) in place of 捣 because all three sound the same. If the meaning involves pounding or causing trouble, you need the hand radical 扌.
Common words with 捣
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
捣 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 捣
How many strokes are in 捣?
捣 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 捣 mean?
捣 (dǎo) means to thresh, to pound; to stir, to disturb; to attack. A common word with it is 捣乱 (dǎoluàn), meaning "to disturb; to look for trouble".
How do you pronounce 捣?
捣 is pronounced dǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 捣?
The radical of 捣 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 捣 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 捣?
The traditional form of 捣 is 搗. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 捣 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 捣 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 捣 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 捣乱 and 捣蛋?
Both mean causing trouble. 捣蛋 (dǎodàn) sounds more playful and is often used for naughty children, as in 捣蛋鬼 (dǎodànguǐ) troublemaker. 捣乱 (dǎoluàn) is broader and can describe any disruption.
Can 捣 be used for pounding food or medicine?
Yes. In the literal sense 捣 means to pound with a pestle, as in 捣蒜 (dǎo suàn) to crush garlic. This literal meaning is the basis of the troublemaking senses.