哭
Quick Answer
哭 (kū) means "cry" with 10 strokes, radical 口 (mouth), HSK 3 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
kū
Meaning
Primary: cry
Etymology
Two mouths howling like a dog — to cry
Mnemonic hooks the visual decomposition to a memorable image. The full oracle-bone to modern evolution is being added character-by-character via the Phase 13 etymology pass.
Decomposition
Breaking a character into its components makes it far easier to recall. Each component above links to its own detail page.
Basic info
| Pinyin | kū |
| Meanings | cry |
| Stroke count | 10 strokes |
| Radical | 口 (#30: mouth) |
| New HSK exam | Recognise at HSK 3, write by hand at HSK 3 |
| Frequency | #1468 most common |
Example sentences
孩子哭了。
Háizi kū le.
The child cried.
From 哭 (HSK 3)
Words containing 哭
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 哭 | kū | cry | HSK 3 |
Related characters
Similar meaning (action)
On the new HSK 3 exam
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Frequently Asked Questions
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.