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骤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
骤zhòusuddend, 17 strokes, radical 马, rank #21016, Very Hard
骤zhòuunexpectedd, 17 strokes, radical 马, rank #21016, Very Hard
骤zhòuabruptd, 17 strokes, radical 马, rank #21016, Very Hard
骤zhòusuddenlyd, 17 strokes, radical 马, rank #21016, Very Hard
骤zhòuTaiwan pr. [zòu]d, 17 strokes, radical 马, rank #21016, Very Hard
骤zhòuprocedure; sudden, abrupt; to gallopd, 17 strokes, radical 马, rank #21016, Very Hard
骤zhòuTaiwan pr. [zou4]unknown, 17 strokes, radical 马, rank #21016, Very Hard
zhòu(zhou4) T4
  1. 1sudden
  2. 2unexpected
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
骤(驟)zhòu(zhou4)

The character 骤 (zhòu) describes something that happens suddenly, unexpectedly, or abruptly. It can refer to a rapid change or a swift action, often conveying a sense of surprise or immediacy. Common usage may involve events or reactions that occur without warning.

Strokes17Radical马Frequency#21016DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature and poetry, sudden changes or surprises are often used as motifs to reflect the unpredictability of life, making 骤 a significant term in expressing dramatic moments.

Memory Tip

Imagine a horse galloping (the radical 骑 'horse' suggests speed) that suddenly takes off without a signal. The sound of the galloping horse mimics the pronunciation 'zhòu', emphasizing its abruptness.

Meanings of 骤

zhòu(zhou4)
1sudden
2unexpected
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 骤

骤Simplified
驟Traditional
17Strokes
马Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#21016Frequency Rank

Podcast: 骤

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Podcast: 骤

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AI Study Notes for 骤

Quick Contrast

骤 (zhòu) vs 突 (tū) — use 骤 for sudden changes in state or action, while 突 emphasizes the unexpectedness of an event.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a horse galloping (the radical 骑 'horse' suggests speed) that suddenly takes off without a signal. The sound of the galloping horse mimics the pronunciation 'zhòu', emphasizing its abruptness.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 骤, as it is pronounced with a falling tone (4th tone). It is often used in more formal contexts, such as literature or news reports, to describe unexpected events. Avoid mixing it with similar-sounding words that have different meanings.

HSK Study Tips

Although not in the standard HSK levels, 骤 connects well with other characters relating to suddenness, such as 突 (tū) meaning 'sudden'. Students should focus on recognizing its usage in context and practice forming sentences that express abrupt changes.

Cultural Note

In Chinese literature and poetry, sudden changes or surprises are often used as motifs to reflect the unpredictability of life, making 骤 a significant term in expressing dramatic moments.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 骤 with other characters like 走 (zǒu, to walk), leading to incorrect usage in contexts. For example, saying '他骤走' (tā zhòu zǒu) instead of '他走了' (tā zǒu le) can change the meaning from 'he left' to an awkward phrasing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 骤

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Etymology of 骤

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

Phonosemantic compound. 马 represents the meaning and 聚 represents the sound. Simplified form of 驟.

Memory Hint

horse

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 骤?

Decomposition of 骤

IDS Structure⿰马聚
骤Full Character
=
马Ma3
left
聚ju4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 骤?

Write 骤

骤

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 骤

骤 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 7 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

流通领域的货币供应量一夜____减。

The supply of money in circulation was drastically reduced overnight.

Example Sentences for 骤 (9)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
流通领域的货币供应量一夜骤减。

liú tōng lǐng yù de huò bì gōng yīng liáng yī yè zhòu jiǎn。

The supply of money in circulation was drastically reduced overnight.
2
因天气骤冷,他发起烧来.

yīn tiān qì zhòu lěng, , tā fā qǐ shāo.

The sudden cold weather brought on his fever again.
3
烧热的钢放入水中骤冷使之坚硬.

shāo rè de gāng fàng rù shuǐ zhōng zhòu lěng shǐ zhī jiān yìng.

Hot steel is quenched to harden it.
4
步骤 3: 在相关文字方格内,输入讨论题文及讯息内文.

bù zhòu3: 3: zài xiāng guān wén zì fāng gé, nèi , shū rù tǎo lùn tí wén jí xùn xī.

Step 3 : Type your subject and message in the textboxes provided.
5
下面几节中我们将详细讨论这些步骤.

xià miàn jī jié zhōng wǒ mén jiāng xiáng xì tǎo lùn zhè xiē bù zhòu.

We discuss each of these steps in detail in the following sections.
6
已采取步骤使某些软毒品合法化。

yǐ cǎi qǔ bù zhòu shǐ mǒu xiē ruǎn dú pǐn hé fǎ huà。

There are moves to decriminalize some soft drugs.
7
物价骤跌.

wù jià zhòu diē.

The prices drop sharply.
8
昨天在外汇市场上英镑骤跌至新低。

zuó tiān zài wài huì shì cháng shàng yīng bàng zhòu diē zhì xīn dī。

The Pound plunged to a new low on the foreign exchange markets yesterday.
9
目前的经济衰退是由消费支出骤跌引起的。

mù qián de jīng jì shuāi tuì shì yóu xiāo fèi zhī chū zhòu diē yǐn qǐ de。

The current recession was triggered by a slump in consumer spending.

Cultural Notes for 骤

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese literature and poetry, sudden changes or surprises are often used as motifs to reflect the unpredictability of life, making 骤 a significant term in expressing dramatic moments.

Word Family of 骤

Words Containing This Character10
步骤bùzhòustep步驟
骤zhòusudden驟
骤然zhòuránsuddenly驟然
骤降to plummet驟降
骤雨shower驟雨
暴风骤雨bàofēngzhòuyǔhurricane暴風驟雨
骤变abrupt change驟變
急骤rapid急驟
分步骤step by step分步驟
骤死式sudden death style play-off (sporting competition)驟死式
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 步骤 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 骤

While both describe suddenness, 骤 often implies an abrupt change in action, like a horse galloping, while 突 can refer to sudden events in a broader sense.