都
all; both; already
HSK level
- Pinyin
- dōu
- Part of speech
- adverb
- Level
- HSK 1
- Strokes
- 10
- Register
- neutral
Stroke order for 都
都 is written with 10 strokes. The animation replays automatically.
What does 都 mean?
都 (dōu) is an adverb meaning 'all' or 'both' — but with one crucial rule English speakers always trip on: 都 goes BEFORE the verb, not before the noun, and it points BACKWARD to the subject.
English says 'we all are students' or 'all of us are students'; Chinese says 我们都是学生 (literally 'we all are students') — 都 sits right before the verb. 都 sums up whatever comes before it: 我们都, 这些书都, 他们都. A second common use: 都 also means 'already,' often paired with 了 to express surprise that something has reached a stage — 都十点了 ('it's already 10 o'clock!'
). The character 都 also has a second reading, dū, meaning 'capital city' (首都 shǒudū, capital). At HSK 1, you only need dōu.
Example sentences
我们都是学生。
Wǒmen dōu shì xuéshēng.
We are all students.
neutral
他们都喜欢中国菜。
Tāmen dōu xǐhuān Zhōngguó cài.
They all like Chinese food.
neutral
都十点了，快起床！
Dōu shí diǎn le, kuài qǐchuáng!
It's already ten o'clock, get up quick!
spoken
这些书我都看过。
Zhèxiē shū wǒ dōu kàn guo.
I've read all of these books.
neutral
Common phrases with 都
Synonyms
全 ('whole, entire') overlaps with 都 but emphasizes completeness, not summing up. 全班 = the whole class; 班里都… = everyone in the class… Use 都 with plural subjects; 全 modifies a single collective noun.
Don't confuse 都 with
全部 is a noun/adjective meaning 'the whole / all of it.' 都 is an adverb that goes before the verb. You can say 全部都… ('all of it, every one') for emphasis, but 都 alone is the everyday choice.
FAQ
Acquire it by listening
Meet 都 again — in real Chinese, at your level.
Fluentide turns real news into Chinese listening at your exact level, so words like 都 show up again and again in natural sentences — with pinyin and translation every time. No flashcards. Free to start.