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訶 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
訶hēto scold loudly, to curse, to abusex, 12 strokes, radical 言
hē(he1) T1
  1. 1to scold loudly, to curse, to abuse
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March 24, 2026

訶hē(he1)

The character 訶 (hē) means to scold loudly or to curse someone, often used in contexts of strong reprimand or verbal abuse. It conveys a sense of anger and intensity, typically associated with strong emotions during a confrontation or argument.

Strokes12Radical言
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, public reprimands can be seen as a loss of face, and the use of 訶 may reflect a serious breach of social etiquette, especially in formal situations. It's often used in literature or storytelling to depict conflict or strong emotions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person shouting loudly at someone across the street, their voice echoing with the sound 'hē'. The character 訶 visually resembles a mouth (口) shouting out words, combined with the concept of 'speech' (言), emphasizing the act of vocal expression in a forceful manner.

Meanings of 訶

hē(he1)
1to scold loudly, to curse, to abuse
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 訶

訶Simplified
12Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 訶

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Podcast: 訶

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AI Study Notes for 訶

Quick Contrast

骂 (mà) vs 训 (xùn) — use 訶 (hē) for louder, more intense scolding, while 骂 (mà) is more general cursing and 训 (xùn) implies a more educational reprimand.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 訶 with more neutral terms for speaking or reprimanding, as it implies a level of aggression. It's generally used in informal contexts and can carry negative connotations. Common collocations include phrases like 訶人 (to scold someone) or 訶责 (to blame).

HSK Study Tips

While 訶 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of expressive language in informal settings. Students should focus on the emotional intensity and context in which this word is used to distinguish it from milder terms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 訶 with milder terms like 说 (shuō, to say) or 讲 (jiǎng, to speak), leading to inappropriate usage. For example, saying '我会说他' (I will say him) instead of '我会呵他' (I will scold him) misses the intensity intended by 訶.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 訶

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Etymology of 訶

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 可 represents the sound. Simplified form of 訶.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)言
+
Phonetic (sound)可
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

訶 = 言 + 可. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 訶

IDS Structure⿰言可
訶Full Character
=
言yan2
left
可ke3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 訶?

How to say to scold loudly, to curse, to abuse in Chinese

“to scold loudly, to curse, to abuse” in Chinese is訶hē

The character 訶 (hē) means to scold loudly or to curse someone, often used in contexts of strong reprimand or verbal abuse. It conveys a sense of anger and intensity, typically associated with strong emotions during a confrontation or argument.

When to use 訶

Be careful not to confuse 訶 with more neutral terms for speaking or reprimanding, as it implies a level of aggression. It's generally used in informal contexts and can carry negative connotations. Common collocations include phrases like 訶人 (to scold someone) or 訶责 (to blame).

訶 or something close to it

骂 (mà) vs 训 (xùn) — use 訶 (hē) for louder, more intense scolding, while 骂 (mà) is more general cursing and 训 (xùn) implies a more educational reprimand.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 訶 with milder terms like 说 (shuō, to say) or 讲 (jiǎng, to speak), leading to inappropriate usage. For example, saying '我会说他' (I will say him) instead of '我会呵他' (I will scold him) misses the intensity intended by 訶.

Write 訶

訶

Practice writing 訶 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 訶

Words Containing This Character5
诃hēto scold訶
堂吉诃德Don Quixote堂吉訶德
契诃夫Anton Pavlovich Chekhov (1860-1904), Russian writer famous for his short stories and plays契訶夫
唐吉诃德Don Quixote唐吉訶德
诃子chebulic myrobalan (Terminalia chebula)訶子
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 訶

What does 诃 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 訶

No, 訶 is generally too aggressive and informal for formal contexts; it's best reserved for personal disputes.

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