measure word for flowers, clouds
HSK level
朵 is written with 6 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
朵 (duǒ) is a measure word (classifier) used mainly to count flowers, blossoms, and cloud-like or puffy things — one 朵 花 (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 朵 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 朵 can also mean a flower or the earlobe (耳朵, ěrduo), but its everyday job is counting.
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
枝 counts flowers by the stem or branch (a long-stemmed rose: 一枝玫瑰). Use 朵 for the bloom itself, 枝 when you mean the whole cut stem.
束 means a bunch or bouquet (一束花, a bouquet). 朵 counts a single blossom; 束 counts them tied together.
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