斗 meaning and stroke order
To fight; to struggle; to condemn
How to write 斗, stroke by stroke
4 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
Meaning of 斗
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to fight
- to struggle
- to condemn
- to censure
- to contend
- to put together
- dry measure for grain equal to ten 升[sheng1] or one-tenth of a 石[dan4]
- decaliter
- peck
- cup or dipper shaped object
- old variant of 陡[dou3]
How 斗 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand holding a measuring dipper.
How to remember 斗
Picture a hand holding a measuring dipper: the two dots are grain spilling out, and the long cross stroke is the handle. Two people grabbing the same dipper of grain end up fighting, which helps link the cup sense dǒu to the fight sense dòu.
As dòu, 斗 means to fight or struggle and appears in words like 战斗 (zhàndòu) and 奋斗 (fèndòu). Example: 我们要为梦想奋斗。(Wǒmen yào wèi mèngxiǎng fèndòu.) We must strive for our dreams.
Common mistake: Learners often read every 斗 as dòu, but in 北斗 (Běidǒu) and 泰斗 (tàidǒu) it is third tone dǒu, the dipper sense. Also do not confuse 斗 with 头 (tóu) or 斗's cousin 料 (liào), which contains 斗 on the right.
Common words with 斗
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 战斗 | zhàndòu | to fight; to engage in combat | HSK 4 |
| 奋斗 | fèndòu | to strive; to struggle | HSK 4 |
| 斗争 | dòuzhēng | a struggle; fight | HSK 6 |
| 搏斗 | bódòu | to wrestle; to fight; to struggle | HSK 7-9 |
| 斗志 | dòuzhì | will to fight; fighting spirit | HSK 7-9 |
| 泰斗 | tàidǒu | abbr. for 泰山北斗[Tai4 shan1 Bei3 dou3] | HSK 7-9 |
| 艰苦奋斗 | jiānkǔ-fèndòu | to struggle arduously | HSK 7-9 |
| 决斗 | juédòu | to duel; a duel | |
| 战斗机 | zhàndòujī | fighter (aircraft) | |
| 打斗 | dǎdòu | to fight | |
| 格斗 | gédòu | to wrestle | |
| 争斗 | zhēngdòu | to struggle; to fight | |
| 斗士 | dòushì | warrior; activist | |
| 角斗士 | jiǎodòushì | gladiator |
斗 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 斗
Learning 斗 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 斗
How many strokes are in 斗?
斗 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 斗 mean?
斗 (dòu) means to fight; to struggle; to condemn. A common word with it is 战斗 (zhàndòu), meaning "to fight; to engage in combat".
How do you pronounce 斗?
斗 is pronounced dòu, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the traditional form of 斗?
The traditional form of 斗 is 鬥, 鬦, 鬪 and 鬭. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 斗 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 斗 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 斗 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
Why is 泰斗 (tàidǒu) used to describe a great expert?
It is short for 泰山北斗, Mount Tai and the Big Dipper, two things everyone looks up to. So calling someone a 泰斗 means they are a leading authority in their field.
What is the difference between 斗争 (dòuzhēng) and 奋斗 (fèndòu)?
斗争 is a struggle against an opponent or a force, often political or social. 奋斗 is striving hard toward a goal, like success or a dream, and has a positive, personal tone.