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March 24, 2026
糊涂(糊塗)hútu(hu2tu5)
The term 糊涂 (hú tú) refers to a state of being muddled, confused, or silly. It can describe someone who is forgetful or unable to think clearly, often used in informal contexts to express exasperation or lighthearted teasing about someone's confusion.
Frequency#3703DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being 糊涂 can be endearing, often used among friends or family when someone makes a silly mistake, reflecting a sense of camaraderie rather than harsh criticism.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person trying to cook with a pot of glue (糊) instead of a pot of soup. The sticky situation symbolizes their 糊涂 (hú tú) state, making them confused and silly in the kitchen.
Meanings of 糊涂
hútu(hu2tu5)
1muddled
2silly
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 糊涂
糊涂Simplified
糊塗Traditional
—Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#3703Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 糊涂
Podcast: 糊涂
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AI Study Notes for 糊涂
Quick Contrast
糊涂 (hú tú) vs 笨 (bèn) — use 糊涂 for confusion or forgetfulness, while 笨 implies a lack of intelligence.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person trying to cook with a pot of glue (糊) instead of a pot of soup. The sticky situation symbolizes their 糊涂 (hú tú) state, making them confused and silly in the kitchen.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 糊涂 with similar-sounding words like 狐狸 (hú lí, 'fox'), which has a different meaning. This word is typically used in informal settings and may come across as playful rather than serious.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 糊涂 connects to other terms describing emotions and states of mind, such as 感觉 (gǎn jué, 'feeling') or 明白 (míng bái, 'understand'). Focus on using it in conversational contexts to express confusion.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, being 糊涂 can be endearing, often used among friends or family when someone makes a silly mistake, reflecting a sense of camaraderie rather than harsh criticism.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 糊涂 with 迷糊 (mí hú), which means 'dazed' or 'in a daze.' For example, saying '我今天迷糊' instead of '我今天糊涂' may lead to misunderstanding the intended meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 糊涂
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Grammar Patterns of 糊涂
糊涂 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. 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
我可不想让你把事情弄得一塌____。
I have no intention of letting you balls it up.
Example Sentences for 糊涂 (10)
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1
我可不想让你把事情弄得一塌糊涂。
wǒ kě bù xiǎng ràng nǐ bǎ shì qíng nòng dé yī tā hū tú。
I have no intention of letting you balls it up.
2
你说话像个糊里糊涂耽于幻想的人。
nǐ shuō huà xiàng gè hū lǐ hū tú dān yú huàn xiǎng de rén。
You're talking like an addled romantic.
3
别跑题，否则你会把我搞糊涂的。
bié pǎo tí， ， fǒu zé nǐ huì bǎ wǒ gǎo hū tú。
Let's keep to the subject, or you'll get me too confused.
4
要是不常用脑子，你就会变得糊涂起来。
yào shì bù cháng yòng nǎo zǐ， ， nǐ jiù huì biàn dé hū tú qǐ。
If you don't keep your brain working you go gaga.
5
我们稀里糊涂，看串了数字栏。
wǒ mén xī lǐ hū tú， ， kàn chuàn le shù zì。
We had stupidly been looking at the wrong column of figures.
6
我慢悠悠地走着去看迈克尔·弗莱恩的戏剧《糊涂戏班》。
wǒ màn yōu yōu dì zǒu zháo qù kàn mài kè ěr· · fú lái ēn de xì《 jù 《 hū tú》。
I trolled along to see Michael Frayn's play, "Noises Off"
7
事情发生得太快，把布赖恩给弄糊涂了。
shì qíng fā shēng dé tài kuài， ， bǎ bù lài ēn gěi nòng hū tú。
Things were happening too quickly and Brian was confused.
Our firm has taken a terrible beating in recent years.
10
这会儿那可怜的老家伙又喝得糊里糊涂的了。
zhè huì ér nà kě lián de lǎo jiā huǒ yòu hē dé hū lǐ hū tú de le。
Right now the poor old devil's drinking himself silly.
Cultural Notes for 糊涂
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, being 糊涂 can be endearing, often used among friends or family when someone makes a silly mistake, reflecting a sense of camaraderie rather than harsh criticism.
Frequently Asked Questions about 糊涂
No, 糊涂 is primarily an informal term and is best used among friends or in casual conversations.
You could use 笨 (bèn, 'foolish') or 糊涂虫 (hú tú chóng, 'confused bug') for similar meanings.
For example, you can say: '我今天真的很糊涂，忘了我的钥匙。' (I am really confused today; I forgot my keys.)
