Meaning of 括号
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- parentheses; brackets
How to use 括号
括号 is the everyday word for parentheses and brackets in writing, math, and programming. You can specify the type, such as 圆括号 (yuán kuòhào) for round brackets or 方括号 (fāng kuòhào) for square brackets. Example: 请把答案写在括号里。(Qǐng bǎ dá'àn xiě zài kuòhào lǐ.) Please write the answer in the brackets.
括 (kuò) means to enclose or include, as in 包括 (bāokuò), and 号 (hào) means a mark or sign, as in 符号 (fúhào). So 括号 is a mark that encloses words, which is exactly what parentheses do.
Common mistake: Learners often read 括 as guā or huó because of the 舌 part, but in 括号 it is always kuò with a fourth tone. Also do not confuse 括号 with 引号 (yǐnhào), which means quotation marks.
括号 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
括 kuò · to embrace · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
号 hào · to call out · 5 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
Related words
Words that share a character with 括号.
| 信号 | xìnhào | signal |
| 包括 | bāokuò | to comprise; to include |
| 号码 | hàomǎ | number |
| 符号 | fúhào | symbol; mark; sign |
| 型号 | xínghào | model (particular version of a manufactured article); type (product specification in terms |
| 概括 | gàikuò | to summarize; to generalize; briefly; in broad outline |
| 口号 | kǒuhào | slogan; catchphrase |
| 称号 | chēnghào | name; term of address |
| 号召 | hàozhào | to call; to appeal |
| 车号 | chēhào | vehicle number (license plate number, taxi number, bus number, train car number) |
| 编号 | biānhào | to number; to assign numbers; serial number |
| 代号 | dàihào | code name |
Questions about 括号
What does 括号 mean?
括号 (kuòhào) means "parentheses; brackets" and is used as a noun.
How do you write 括号?
括号 is made of 2 characters: 括 (9 strokes), 号 (5 strokes). That is 14 strokes in total.
Is 括号 an HSK word?
Yes. 括号 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 括号 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 括号 is written 括號.
How do you say 'in parentheses' in Chinese?
Say 在括号里 (zài kuòhào lǐ) or 括号里 (kuòhào lǐ). For example, 括号里的内容 (kuòhào lǐ de nèiróng) means the content in parentheses.
What do Chinese parentheses look like compared to English ones?
Chinese text usually uses full-width parentheses （ ）, which take up the space of one character. In English text or code, the half-width ( ) is used, but both are called 括号.