逗 meaning and stroke order
To tease (playfully); to entice; (coll.) to joke; (coll.) funny; amusing
How to write 逗, 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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Meaning of 逗
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to tease (playfully); to entice
- (coll.) to joke
- (coll.) funny; amusing
- to stay; to sojourn
- brief pause at the end of a phrase (variant of 讀|读[dou4])
How 逗 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 豆 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 逗
逗 combines 辶 (walk) with 豆 (dòu, bean), which gives the sound. Picture someone walking along dangling a bean to tease a bird, stopping and starting to lure it closer.
In everyday speech 逗 often means to tease playfully or to make someone laugh, as in 逗孩子 (dòu háizi) or 逗你玩 (dòu nǐ wán, just kidding). It also means funny in casual talk, and appears in words like 逗留 (dòuliú, to stay a while) and 逗号 (dòuhào, comma). Example: 他很逗。(Tā hěn dòu.) He is really funny.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 逗 with 斗 (dòu, to fight), which has the same sound and tone but a different meaning. Also do not mix up 逗号 (dòuhào, comma) with 句号 (jùhào, period).
Common words with 逗
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
逗 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 逗
How many strokes are in 逗?
逗 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 逗 mean?
逗 (dòu) means to tease (playfully); to entice; (coll.) to joke; (coll.) funny; amusing. A common word with it is 逗留 (dòuliú), meaning "to stay for a while; to sojourn".
How do you pronounce 逗?
逗 is pronounced dòu, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 逗?
The radical of 逗 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 逗 under this radical.
Is 逗 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 逗 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 逗你玩 mean?
逗你玩 (dòu nǐ wán) means I am just teasing you or just kidding. It is very casual and often said after a playful joke or prank.
Is 挑逗 the same as 逗?
Not quite. 逗 alone is usually light and playful, like teasing a friend or a child. 挑逗 (tiǎodòu) means to provoke or entice and often has a flirtatious or suggestive tone, so use it with care.