詛 meaning and stroke order
To curse; to pledge, to swear
How to write 詛, stroke by stroke
12 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 詛
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- curse
- swear (oath)
How 詛 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
言 gives the meaning and 且 hints at the sound.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 詛
詛 combines 言 (speech) with 且 (qiě), which gives the sound. Picture someone using words to call down a curse, and 且 hinting at the zǔ sound.
詛 rarely appears alone in modern Chinese. It is mostly used in the word 詛咒 (simplified 诅咒, zǔzhòu), meaning to curse or a curse. Example: 他詛咒那個騙子。(Tā zǔzhòu nàge piànzi.) He cursed that swindler.
Common mistake: Learners often read 詛 as qiě because of the 且 part, but it is zǔ with a third tone, like 組 (zǔ) and 祖 (zǔ). Also do not confuse it with 阻 (zǔ, to block), which has the 阝 side instead of 言.
Common words with 詛
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 詛咒 | zǔzhòu | to curse |
Questions about 詛
How many strokes are in 詛?
詛 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 詛 mean?
詛 (zǔ) means to curse; to pledge, to swear. A common word with it is 诅咒 (zǔzhòu), meaning "to curse".
How do you pronounce 詛?
詛 is pronounced zǔ, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 詛?
The radical of 詛 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 詛 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 詛?
詛 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 诅, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 詛咒 the same as swearing with bad language?
Not exactly. 詛咒 means wishing harm or misfortune on someone, like casting a curse. For using rude words, Chinese usually says 罵人 (mà rén) or 說髒話 (shuō zānghuà).
How does 詛 relate to the meaning to swear an oath?
The dictionary lists swearing an oath as an older sense of 詛. In everyday modern Chinese, people say 發誓 (fāshì) for making an oath, and 詛 is used for cursing.