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齪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
齪chuònarrow, small-minded; dirty (2)x, 22 strokes, radical 齒
chuò(chuo4) T4
  1. 1narrow, small-minded; dirty (2)
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March 24, 2026

齪chuò(chuo4)

The character 齪 (chuò) refers to something that is narrow or small-minded, often implying a lack of breadth in perspective or an inability to think beyond immediate concerns. It can also denote something that is dirty or unclean, reflecting a physical state of being tainted or sullied.

Strokes22Radical齒
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being 'narrow-minded' (齪) is often viewed negatively, especially in social contexts where open-mindedness is valued. This character might come up in discussions about societal norms or the importance of adaptability.

Memory Tip

Imagine a narrow alley (representing 'narrow') that is cluttered with dirt and garbage (symbolizing 'dirty'). The sound 'chuò' resembles the noise made when you're trying to squeeze through a tight space while stepping on something unpleasant.

Meanings of 齪

chuò(chuo4)
1narrow, small-minded; dirty (2)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 齪

齪Simplified
22Strokes
齒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 齪

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Podcast: 齪

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AI Study Notes for 齪

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone as 'chuò' is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced. This word is more commonly used in literary contexts rather than everyday conversation, making it somewhat formal. Common collocations include phrases describing narrow-minded attitudes or filthy conditions.

HSK Study Tips

Although 齪 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding this character can help in recognizing more complex adjectives related to judgment and cleanliness. Students should focus on the nuances of describing personality traits and physical states.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 齪 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect meanings. For instance, using 齪 when they mean 'clean' instead of understanding its negative connotation of being dirty.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 齪

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Etymology of 齪

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

Phonosemantic compound. 足 represents the meaning and 齿 represents the sound. Simplified form of 齪.

Memory Hint

teeth

Semantic (meaning)足
+
Phonetic (sound)齒
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 齪

Phonosemantic compound. 足 represents the meaning and 齿 represents the sound. Simplified form of 齪.

  1. 1The meaning half足 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half齒 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayteeth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 齪? 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 齪?

Decomposition of 齪

IDS Structure⿰齒足
齪Full Character
=
齒chi3
left
足ju4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 齪?

How to say narrow, small-minded; dirty (2) in Chinese

“narrow, small-minded; dirty (2)” in Chinese is齪chuò

The character 齪 (chuò) refers to something that is narrow or small-minded, often implying a lack of breadth in perspective or an inability to think beyond immediate concerns. It can also denote something that is dirty or unclean, reflecting a physical state of being tainted or sullied.

When to use 齪

Be cautious with the tone as 'chuò' is pronounced with a falling tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced. This word is more commonly used in literary contexts rather than everyday conversation, making it somewhat formal. Common collocations include phrases describing narrow-minded attitudes or filthy conditions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 齪 with similar-sounding characters, leading to incorrect meanings. For instance, using 齪 when they mean 'clean' instead of understanding its negative connotation of being dirty.

Write 齪

齪

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 齪

Words Containing This Character3
龌龊dirty齷齪
龊chuòdirty齪
卑鄙龌龊sordid and contemptible (idiom); vile and repulsive (esp. character or action)卑鄙齷齪
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 龌龊 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 齪

No, 齪 is more frequently found in literary contexts and is not a common word in everyday speech.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 齪?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.