讀 meaning and stroke order
To study, to learn; to read, to pronounce
How to write 讀, stroke by stroke
22 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 讀
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- comma
- phrase marked by pause
- to read out; to read aloud
- to read
- to attend (school); to study (a subject in school)
- to pronounce
How 讀 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. To show off 賣 one's literacy 言.
Radical: 言 (words), shared by 155 characters on this site.
How to remember 讀
讀 combines 言 (speech, words) on the left with 賣 (mài, to sell) on the right. Picture someone reading words aloud as if selling them at a market, showing off that they can read.
讀 (dú) means to read, especially aloud, and also to study or attend school, as in 讀大學 (dú dàxué, to attend university). The simplified form 读 appears in common words like 读书 (dúshū) and 读者 (dúzhě). Example: 我每天晚上讀書。(Wǒ měitiān wǎnshang dúshū.) I read every evening.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 讀 with 續 (xù, to continue) and 賣 (mài, to sell), which share the same right side. Check the left part: 言 for reading, 糸 for continuing, and nothing extra for selling.
Common words with 讀
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 讀書 | dúshū | to read a book; to study | HSK 1 |
| 讀音 | dúyīn | pronunciation; literary (rather than colloquial) pronunciation of a Chinese character | HSK 2 |
| 讀者 | dúzhě | reader | HSK 3 |
| 閱讀 | yuèdú | to read | HSK 4 |
| 朗讀 | lǎngdú | to read aloud | HSK 5 |
| 解讀 | jiědú | to decipher; to decode | HSK 7-9 |
| 宣讀 | xuāndú | to read out loud to an audience; a prepared speech (e.g. to a party conference) | HSK 7-9 |
| 就讀 | jiùdú | to go to school | HSK 7-9 |
| 攻讀 | gōngdú | to major (in a field); to study a specialty to obtain a higher degree | HSK 7-9 |
| 默讀 | mòdú | to read in silence | HSK 7-9 |
| 在讀 | zàidú | to be studying (at a school or research institute) | |
| 讀取 | dúqǔ | (of a computer etc) to read (data) | |
| 讀數 | dúshù | reading; data from meter | |
| 讀懂 | dúdǒng | to read and understand |
Questions about 讀
How many strokes are in 讀?
讀 is written with 22 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 讀 mean?
讀 (dú) means to study, to learn; to read, to pronounce. A common word with it is 读书 (dúshū), meaning "to read a book; to study".
How do you pronounce 讀?
讀 is pronounced dú, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 讀?
The radical of 讀 is 言, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 讀 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 讀?
讀 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 读, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 讀 (dú) and 看 (kàn) for reading?
看書 (kàn shū) usually means reading silently for yourself. 讀 can mean reading aloud, and it is also used for studying a subject or attending school, like 讀研究生 (dú yánjiūshēng, to do graduate study).
When is 讀 pronounced dòu?
The reading dòu is rare and literary. It refers to a pause or phrase within a sentence, as in the old term 句讀 (jùdòu), meaning punctuation or sentence breaks in classical texts.