调 meaning and stroke order
To transfer; to move (troops or cadres); to investigate
How to write 调, 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.
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- 10
Meaning of 调
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 调 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
讠 gives the meaning and 周 hints at the sound.
Radical: 讠 (words), shared by 144 characters on this site.
How to remember 调
调 combines 讠 (speech) with 周 (zhōu), which gives the sound. Picture speech going all around (周) a group until everyone is in tune and agrees.
Read diào for transferring, investigating, or tone and accent, as in 调查 (diàochá) and 强调 (qiángdiào). Read tiáo for adjusting and harmonizing, as in 调整 (tiáozhěng) and 空调 (kōngtiáo). Example: 请把空调调低一点。(Qǐng bǎ kōngtiáo tiáo dī yìdiǎn.) Please turn the air conditioner down a little.
Common mistake: Learners often say kōngdiào instead of kōngtiáo, or tiáochá instead of diàochá. Think adjusting = tiáo, transferring or investigating = diào. Also do not confuse 调 with 周 (zhōu) or 绸 (chóu), which share the same right side.
Common words with 调
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 调查 | diàochá | investigation; inquiry | HSK 3 |
| 调整 | tiáozhěng | to adjust; to revise; to reorganize | HSK 3 |
| 强调 | qiángdiào | to emphasize (a statement); to stress | HSK 3 |
| 空调 | kōngtiáo | air conditioning; air conditioner (including units that have a heating mode) | HSK 3 |
| 调皮 | tiáopí | naughty; mischievous | HSK 4 |
| 单调 | dāndiào | monotonous | HSK 4 |
| 调动 | diàodòng | to transfer; to maneuver (troops etc) | HSK 5 |
| 调节 | tiáojié | to adjust; to regulate | HSK 5 |
| 调解 | tiáojiě | to mediate; to bring parties to an agreement | HSK 5 |
| 协调 | xiétiáo | to coordinate; to harmonize | HSK 6 |
| 调研 | diàoyán | to investigate and research; research | HSK 6 |
| 低调 | dīdiào | low pitch; quiet (voice) | HSK 7-9 |
| 调度 | diàodù | to dispatch (vehicles, staff etc); to schedule | HSK 7-9 |
| 调料 | tiáoliào | condiment; seasoning | HSK 7-9 |
调 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 调
How many strokes are in 调?
调 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 调 mean?
调 (diào) means to transfer; to move (troops or cadres); to investigate. A common word with it is 调查 (diàochá), meaning "investigation; inquiry".
How do you pronounce 调?
调 is pronounced diào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 调?
The radical of 调 is 讠, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 调 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 调?
The traditional form of 调 is 調. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 调 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 调 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 调 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
How is 调 used to talk about tones and accents?
In the diào reading it can mean a tone, tune, or accent. 声调 (shēngdiào) means the tones of Chinese, and 南方口音的调 refers to a regional accent or way of speaking.
Why does 调皮 use tiáo when it means naughty?
调皮 (tiáopí) is a fixed word that keeps the tiáo reading even though its meaning is not about adjusting. It is best memorized as a whole word, often used for playful children: 这个孩子很调皮 (zhège háizi hěn tiáopí), this child is very mischievous.