調 meaning and stroke order
Tune, melody, key; to transfer, to exchange
How to write 調, stroke by stroke
15 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 調
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to transfer
- to move (troops or cadres)
- to investigate
- to enquire into
- accent
- view
- to harmonize
- to reconcile
- to blend
- to suit well
- to adjust
- to regulate
How 調 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
言 gives the meaning and 周 hints at the sound.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 調
調 is pictophonetic: 言 (speech) on the left gives the meaning, and 周 (zhōu) on the right hints at the sound. Picture words 言 going all around 周 a circle until everything is in tune, adjusted and balanced.
調 has two readings. Read diào it means to transfer, to investigate, or a tone or accent, as in 調查 (diàochá, investigation). Read tiáo it means to adjust or blend, as in 空調 (kōngtiáo, air conditioner): 請把空調調低一點 (qǐng bǎ kōngtiáo tiáo dī yīdiǎn), please turn the air conditioner down a little.
Common mistake: Learners often use the wrong reading. Words about adjusting or harmonizing take tiáo (調整 tiáozhěng, 調皮 tiáopí), while words about moving, investigating, or tones take diào (調動 diàodòng, 強調 qiángdiào, 單調 dāndiào). Also do not confuse 調 with 週 (zhōu, week), which shares 周 but uses the walking radical.
Common words with 調
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 調查 | diàochá | investigation; inquiry | HSK 3 |
| 調整 | tiáozhěng | to adjust; to revise; to reorganize | HSK 3 |
| 強調 | qiángdiào | to emphasize (a statement); to stress | HSK 3 |
| 空調 | kōngtiáo | air conditioning; air conditioner (including units that have a heating mode) | HSK 3 |
| 調皮 | tiáopí | naughty; mischievous | HSK 4 |
| 單調 | dāndiào | monotonous | HSK 4 |
| 調動 | diàodòng | to transfer; to maneuver (troops etc) | HSK 5 |
| 調節 | tiáojié | to adjust; to regulate | HSK 5 |
| 調解 | tiáojiě | to mediate; to bring parties to an agreement | HSK 5 |
| 協調 | xiétiáo | to coordinate; to harmonize | HSK 6 |
| 調研 | diàoyán | to investigate and research; research | HSK 6 |
| 低調 | dīdiào | low pitch; quiet (voice) | HSK 7-9 |
| 調度 | diàodù | to dispatch (vehicles, staff etc); to schedule | HSK 7-9 |
| 調料 | tiáoliào | condiment; seasoning | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 調
How many strokes are in 調?
調 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 調 mean?
調 (diào) means tune, melody, key; to transfer, to exchange. A common word with it is 调查 (diàochá), meaning "investigation; inquiry".
How do you pronounce 調?
調 is pronounced diào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 調?
The radical of 調 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 調 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 調?
調 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 调, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do I say a tone in Chinese, like the tones of Mandarin?
Use 聲調 (shēngdiào), with 調 read diào. For example, 普通話有四個聲調 (pǔtōnghuà yǒu sì gè shēngdiào) means Mandarin has four tones.
Does 調 appear in words about music?
Yes, in the diào reading it means a tune, melody, or musical key. 曲調 (qǔdiào) means a melody, and 跑調 (pǎodiào) means to sing off key.