臭 meaning and stroke order
Stench; smelly; to smell (bad)
How to write 臭, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
Meaning of 臭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- stench
- smelly
- to smell (bad)
- repulsive
- loathsome
- terrible
- sense of smell
- smell bad
How 臭 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. The smell 自 of a dirty dog 犬.
Radical: 自 (self), shared by 5 characters on this site.
How to remember 臭
The top part 自 (zì) was originally a picture of a nose, and the bottom is 犬 (quǎn), a dog. A dog's nose can sniff out anything, and a dirty dog is something your own nose notices right away: it stinks.
臭 (chòu) is a common adjective for anything that smells bad, and it also describes bad behavior or poor quality, as in 臭名昭著 (chòumíngzhāozhù) "notorious." In casual speech it can mean "terrible" or "lousy," like a 臭棋 (chòuqí) "bad chess move." Example: 这双袜子好臭。(Zhè shuāng wàzi hǎo chòu.) These socks really stink.
Common mistake: Learners often write the bottom as 大 (dà) and forget the dot of 犬 (quǎn), which turns it into a different character. Also, 臭 itself already means "smells bad," so do not say 很臭味 when you mean "very smelly." Say 很臭 (hěn chòu) or 有臭味 (yǒu chòuwèi).
Common words with 臭
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 臭味 | chòuwèi | bad smell; foul odor | |
| 臭名昭著 | chòumíngzhāozhù | notorious; infamous | |
| 恶臭 | èchòu | stink; stench; stinky; smelly | |
| 臭屁 | chòupì | (coll.) self-important; puffed up | |
| 发臭 | fāchòu | smelly; to smell bad | |
| 臭虫 | chòuchóng | bedbug (Cimex lectularius); tick | |
| 口臭 | kǒuchòu | bad breath; halitosis | |
| 臭鼬 | chòuyòu | skunk | |
| 臭臭 | chòuchou | (baby talk) poop; poo | |
| 乳臭未干 | rǔxiùwèigān | lit. smell of breast milk not yet dried (idiom); fig. immature and inexperienced; still we | |
| 除臭剂 | chúchòujì | deodorant | |
| 臭脸 | chòuliǎn | sour face; scowling face | |
| 臭美 | chòuměi | greatly pleased with oneself; vain; conceited (used as an insult or teasingly) | |
| 臭气 | chòuqì | stench |
臭 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 臭
Learning 臭 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 臭
How many strokes are in 臭?
臭 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 臭 mean?
臭 (chòu) means stench; smelly; to smell (bad). A common word with it is 臭味 (chòuwèi), meaning "bad smell; foul odor".
How do you pronounce 臭?
臭 is pronounced chòu, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 臭?
The radical of 臭 is 自, which carries the idea of "self". Dictionaries list 臭 under this radical.
Is 臭 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 臭 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
When is 臭 pronounced xiù instead of chòu?
The reading xiù means "smell" or "sense of smell" in a neutral way. It mostly appears in literary or classical texts and in a few set expressions like 乳臭未干 (rǔxiù wèi gān), "still smelling of milk," meaning young and inexperienced. In everyday speech you will almost always say chòu.
How do I say something smells good, the opposite of 臭?
Use 香 (xiāng), which means fragrant or tasty smelling, as in 好香 (hǎo xiāng) "smells great." For a neutral "smell" as a noun, use 味道 (wèidào) or 气味 (qìwèi).