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March 24, 2026
洛luò(Luo4)
The character 洛 (luò) primarily refers to a river in Shanxi province and is also used as a surname. It can denote various rivers historically known by this name in regions such as Henan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Anhui. In contemporary usage, it is often associated with place names and geographical contexts.
Strokes9Radical氵Frequency#1737DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
The city 洛阳 (Luòyáng) is historically significant as one of the ancient capitals of China and is associated with many historical events and figures, highlighting its importance in Chinese culture and history.
Memory Tip
Imagine a flowing river (representing 洛) that curves gracefully through the landscape. The character itself resembles a winding river as it flows downwards, and you can think of 'luò' sounding like 'low' to remind you that rivers are often in low-lying areas.
Meanings of 洛
luò(Luo4)
1a river in the Shanxi province; a city
2old name of several rivers (in Henan, Shaanxi, Sichuan and Anhui)
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 洛
洛Simplified
9Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 洛
Podcast: 洛
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AI Study Notes for 洛
Usage Notes
洛 is often used in formal contexts, especially in geographical names. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding characters; be careful with tone, as 洛 (luò, falling tone) is different from other characters like 罗 (luó). Pair it correctly with relevant context, such as 洛阳 (Luòyáng), a historical city.
HSK Study Tips
While 洛 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it's beneficial for learners at higher levels to understand geographical terms. Focus on learning it alongside other place names to enhance your contextual understanding of Chinese geography.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 洛 (luò) with 罗 (luó), leading to pronunciation errors. For instance, saying '罗阳' instead of '洛阳' is incorrect; remember to use the falling tone for 洛.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 洛
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 各 represents the sound.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half各 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 洛? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 洛?
Decomposition of 洛
IDS Structure⿰氵各
洛Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
各ge4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 洛?
How to say surname Luo in Chinese
“surname Luo” in Chinese is洛luò
The character 洛 (luò) primarily refers to a river in Shanxi province and is also used as a surname. It can denote various rivers historically known by this name in regions such as Henan, Shaanxi, Sichuan, and Anhui. In contemporary usage, it is often associated with place names and geographical contexts.
When to use 洛
洛 is often used in formal contexts, especially in geographical names. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding characters; be careful with tone, as 洛 (luò, falling tone) is different from other characters like 罗 (luó). Pair it correctly with relevant context, such as 洛阳 (Luòyáng), a historical city.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 洛 (luò) with 罗 (luó), leading to pronunciation errors. For instance, saying '罗阳' instead of '洛阳' is incorrect; remember to use the falling tone for 洛.
Write 洛
洛
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Practice writing 洛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 洛
洛 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
____杉矶穷人的境况仍未得到改善。
Conditions for the poor in Los Angeles have not improved.
Example Sentences for 洛 (10)
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1
洛杉矶穷人的境况仍未得到改善。
luò shān jī qióng rén de jìng kuàng réng wèi dé dào gǎi shàn。
Conditions for the poor in Los Angeles have not improved.
