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HSK 4

measure word for flowers, clouds

measure wordneutral
duǒ3rd tone

HSK level

1
2
3
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6
Pinyin
duǒ
Part of speech
measure word
Level
HSK 4
Strokes
6
Register
neutral

Stroke order for 朵

is written with 6 strokes. The animation replays automatically.

What does 朵 mean?

(duǒ) is a measure word (classifier) used mainly to count flowers, blossoms, and cloud-like or puffy things — one (yì duǒ huā) is 'one flower,' and 一朵云 (yì duǒ yún) is 'a cloud.'

It attaches between a number and the noun the way English uses no word at all ('one flower') or a helper like 'a bunch of.' English speakers often forget that Chinese requires a classifier for every counted noun, and is the specific one for things that bloom, billow, or bunch — flowers, clouds, mushroom shapes, sometimes a burst of fireworks or a spray of foam.

It is neutral in register and appears in speech and writing alike. As a standalone character can also mean a flower or the earlobe (耳朵, ěrduo), but its everyday job is counting.

Example sentences

他给我买了一朵红玫瑰。

Tā gěi wǒ mǎi le yì duǒ hóng méiguī.

He bought me a red rose.

spoken

天上有几朵白云。

Tiān shàng yǒu jǐ duǒ bái yún.

There are a few white clouds in the sky.

neutral

花园里开满了一朵朵鲜花。

Huāyuán lǐ kāi mǎn le yì duǒ duǒ xiānhuā.

The garden is full of blooming flowers.

written

这朵花真漂亮。

Zhè duǒ huā zhēn piàoliang.

This flower is really pretty.

spoken

Common phrases with 朵

一朵花yì duǒ huāone flower
一朵云yì duǒ yúnone cloud
几朵玫瑰jǐ duǒ méiguīa few roses
一朵朵yì duǒ duǒone after another (in bunches)

Synonyms

zhī

counts flowers by the stem or branch (a long-stemmed rose: 一枝玫瑰). Use for the bloom itself, when you mean the whole cut stem.

shù

means a bunch or bouquet (一束花, a bouquet). counts a single blossom; counts them tied together.

Don't confuse 朵 with

耳朵ěrduo

耳朵 (ear) contains but here is just a word component, not a measure word. Don't read as 'classifier' inside 耳朵.

duǒ

(to hide/dodge) sounds identical to but is a verb and written with the body radical. Same sound, unrelated meaning.

FAQ

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