睾 meaning and stroke order
Testicle
How to write 睾, stroke by stroke
14 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 睾
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) testicle
- variant of 睪|睾[gao1]
How 睾 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 目 (eye), shared by 100 characters on this site.
How to remember 睾
The top looks like 血 (xuè, blood) and the bottom is 幸 (xìng, fortunate). Picture blood flowing to a fortunate part of the body that carries the family line: 睾 (gāo), the testicle.
睾 (gāo) is a bound form and almost never stands alone. You will see it mainly in the word 睾丸 (gāowán) and in medical terms such as 睾酮 (gāotóng, testosterone). Example: 医生检查了他的睾丸。(Yīshēng jiǎnchá le tā de gāowán.) The doctor examined his testicles.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 睾 with 睪 (also read gāo), which looks almost the same. 睪 is the traditional form, so use 睾 in simplified text. Also check the bottom part: it is 幸 (xìng), not 辛 (xīn). The two differ only by one short top stroke.
Common words with 睾
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 睾丸 | gāowán | testicle |
Questions about 睾
How many strokes are in 睾?
睾 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 睾 mean?
睾 (gāo) means testicle. A common word with it is 睾丸 (gāowán), meaning "testicle".
How do you pronounce 睾?
睾 is pronounced gāo, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 睾?
The radical of 睾 is 目, which carries the idea of "eye". Dictionaries list 睾 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 睾?
The traditional form of 睾 is 睪. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 睾 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 睾丸 a polite word to use?
Yes. 睾丸 (gāowán) is the neutral, medical term, suitable for doctors, textbooks, and formal speech. Casual or slang words exist, but 睾丸 is the safe choice.
What does 丸 mean in 睾丸?
丸 (wán) means a small ball or pill, as in 药丸 (yàowán, pill). So 睾丸 literally describes the testicle as a small ball-shaped organ.