窩 meaning and stroke order
Cave, den, nest; hiding place; measure word for small animals
How to write 窩, 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 窩
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- nest
- pit or hollow on the human body
- lair
- den
- place
- to harbor or shelter
How 窩 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cave.
穴 gives the meaning and 咼 hints at the sound.
Radical: 穴 (cave), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 窩
The top part 穴 (xué) means cave or hole, and the bottom part 咼 (guō/wāi) gives the sound. Picture a small cave dug into the ground where an animal curls up to sleep: that is its 窩 (wō), its nest or den.
窩 (wō) names a home for animals, like 狗窩 (gǒuwō, doghouse) or 蜂窩 (fēngwō, honeycomb), and also hollows on the body, like 酒窩 (jiǔwō, dimple). It works as a measure word for a litter of animals: 一窩小貓 (yī wō xiǎo māo) a litter of kittens. Casually it can mean a cozy place, as in 被窩 (bèiwō, bed covers).
Common mistake: Learners often write the bottom as 呙 in traditional text or mix up 窩 with 窟 (kū, cave), which shares the 穴 top but has 屈 below. Also note that in 窩囊 (wōnang) the second syllable is neutral tone, not náng.
Common words with 窩
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 窩囊廢 | wōnangfèi | (coll.) spineless coward; wimp | |
| 酒窩 | jiǔwō | dimple (on the cheek when smiling) | |
| 狗窩 | gǒuwō | doghouse; kennel | |
| 蜂窩 | fēngwō | honeycomb; beehive | |
| 窩囊 | wōnang | to feel vexed; annoyed | |
| 被窩 | bèiwō | (traditional bedding) quilt wrapped around the body as a tube; (contemporary) bedding; bed | |
| 窩藏 | wōcáng | to harbor; to shelter | |
| 安樂窩 | ānlèwō | comfortable niche |
Questions about 窩
How many strokes are in 窩?
窩 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 窩 mean?
窩 (wō) means cave, den, nest; hiding place; measure word for small animals. A common word with it is 窝囊废 (wōnangfèi), meaning "(coll.) spineless coward; wimp".
How do you pronounce 窩?
窩 is pronounced wō, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 窩?
The radical of 窩 is 穴, which carries the idea of "cave". Dictionaries list 窩 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 窩?
窩 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 窝, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do you say someone is lazy in bed in Chinese using 窩?
You can say 窩在被窩裡 (wō zài bèiwō lǐ), meaning to stay curled up in bed. Here 窩 works as a verb meaning to huddle or stay put in one spot.
Does 窩 have a negative meaning in some words?
Yes. 窩藏 (wōcáng) means to harbor criminals or stolen goods, and 窩囊廢 (wōnangfèi) is an insult for a spineless coward. A 賊窩 (zéiwō) is a den of thieves.