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March 24, 2026
肚子dùzi(du4zi5)
肚子 (dùzi) refers to the belly or abdomen, commonly used to describe the area of the body where the stomach is located. It can be used in both informal and formal contexts, often in discussions about health or discomfort, such as when someone has a stomachache.
Frequency#2293DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, there is a belief that the belly or '肚子' is the center of health and well-being, often linked to traditional practices like acupuncture and herbal remedies aimed at balancing the stomach.
Memory Tip
Imagine your 'du' (肚) as a round belly with a big 'zi' (子) sticker on it. Visualize a happy face on that belly, reminding you that when you say '肚子', you're talking about something essential in your body, like a cozy home for food.
Meanings of 肚子
dùzi(du4zi5)
1belly
2abdomen
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About 肚子
肚子Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2293Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 肚子
Podcast: 肚子
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AI Study Notes for 肚子
Quick Contrast
肚子 (dùzi) vs 腹部 (fùbù) — use 肚子 for informal contexts and 腹部 for more formal or medical discussions.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine your 'du' (肚) as a round belly with a big 'zi' (子) sticker on it. Visualize a happy face on that belly, reminding you that when you say '肚子', you're talking about something essential in your body, like a cozy home for food.
Usage Notes
Be careful with the tone of '肚子'; it must be pronounced with a falling tone (dù) and a neutral tone (zi). In informal contexts, you might hear it used casually, but in medical or serious discussions, it's best to stick to the full term and avoid slang.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 肚子 connects with other health-related vocabulary such as 痛 (tòng) meaning 'pain' and 健康 (jiànkāng) meaning 'health'. Focus on using it in sentences related to health to solidify its meaning.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, there is a belief that the belly or '肚子' is the center of health and well-being, often linked to traditional practices like acupuncture and herbal remedies aimed at balancing the stomach.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 肚子 with 胃 (wèi), which means 'stomach' in a more physiological sense. For example, saying '我有肚子痛' (Wǒ yǒu dùzi tòng) is wrong; the correct phrasing is '我肚子痛' (Wǒ dùzi tòng), omitting '有'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 肚子
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Grammar Patterns of 肚子
肚子 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 4 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.
If I get another tummy ache, I will wire you to come.
10
他的肚子一年比一年鼓。
tā de dù zǐ yī nián bǐ yī nián gǔ。
His stomach had grown more prominent with every passing year.
Cultural Notes for 肚子
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, there is a belief that the belly or '肚子' is the center of health and well-being, often linked to traditional practices like acupuncture and herbal remedies aimed at balancing the stomach.
Frequently Asked Questions about 肚子
You can say, '我的肚子痛' (Wǒ de dùzi tòng), which means 'My stomach hurts.'
肚子 is generally more informal; for formal contexts, you might use 腹部 (fùbù) instead.
The correct measure word is '个' (gè), so you would say '一个肚子' (yī gè dùzi) if needed.
