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调 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
调diàoto transferHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto harmonizeHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto move (troops or cadres)HSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto reconcileHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto investigateHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto blendHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto enquire intoHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto suit wellHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoaccentHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto season (food)HSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoviewHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto provokeHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoargumentHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto inciteHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàokey (in music)HSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàomode (music)HSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàotuneHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàotoneHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàomelodyHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàotune, melody, key; to transfer, to exchangeHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto adjustHSK 5, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调diàoto regulateHSK 5, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto transferHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto harmonizeHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto move (troops or cadres)HSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto reconcileHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto investigateHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto blendHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto enquire intoHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto suit wellHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoaccentHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto season (food)HSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoviewHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto provokeHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoargumentHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto inciteHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáokey (in music)HSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáomode (music)HSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáotuneHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáotoneHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáomelodyHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáotune, melody, key; to transfer, to exchangeHSK 5, v, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto adjustHSK 5, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
调tiáoto regulateHSK 5, unknown, 10 strokes, radical 讠, rank #1523, Hard
diào(diao4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1to transfer
  2. 2to harmonize
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

调(調)diào(diao4)

调 (diào) primarily means to harmonize or adjust. It is commonly used in contexts related to music, cooking, and interpersonal relations, where balance and suitability are essential. This character can also imply transferring or moving something strategically, such as troops or resources.

Strokes10Radical讠Frequency#1523DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

调 is often associated with traditional Chinese music and the importance of harmony in Chinese philosophy, such as Confucianism, which values balanced relationships and social harmony.

Memory Tip

Imagine a musician adjusting the tune of their instrument. The character 调 has the component 糸 (silk, suggesting strings or music) and the phonetic element 调 (diào), which sounds like 'dial'—think of dialing in a perfect melody or harmony.

Meanings of 调

diào(diao4)
primary
1to transfer
2to harmonize
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 调 means.

About 调

调Simplified
調Traditional
10Strokes
讠Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#1523Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5ElementaryTOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 调

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Podcast: 调

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AI Study Notes for 调

Quick Contrast

调 (diào) vs 调整 (tiáozhěng) — use 调 for a more informal or immediate adjustment, while 调整 implies a more formal, systematic change.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the context in which 调 is used, as it can imply both physical adjustment (like tuning an instrument) and abstract notions (like harmonizing relationships). Common collocations include 调整 (tiáozhěng - to adjust) and 调查 (diàochá - to investigate).

HSK Study Tips

调 is not specifically listed in HSK levels but is useful for learners beyond basic levels, particularly in HSK 4 and above. Focus on its various usages in different contexts to enrich vocabulary and understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 调 with similar-sounding characters like 叫 (jiào - to call) or 料 (liào - material), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我调了她的名字' (I adjusted her name) instead of '我叫了她的名字' (I called her name) can be misleading.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 调

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Etymology of 调

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

Simplified form of 調. Phonosemantic compound. 言 represents the meaning and 周 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Origin

调 = 讠 + 周. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 调

IDS Structure⿰讠周
调Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
周Zhou1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 调?

How to say to transfer in Chinese

“to transfer” in Chinese is调diào

调 (diào) primarily means to harmonize or adjust. It is commonly used in contexts related to music, cooking, and interpersonal relations, where balance and suitability are essential. This character can also imply transferring or moving something strategically, such as troops or resources.

When to use 调

Be mindful of the context in which 调 is used, as it can imply both physical adjustment (like tuning an instrument) and abstract notions (like harmonizing relationships). Common collocations include 调整 (tiáozhěng - to adjust) and 调查 (diàochá - to investigate).

调 or something close to it

调 (diào) vs 调整 (tiáozhěng) — use 调 for a more informal or immediate adjustment, while 调整 implies a more formal, systematic change.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 调 with similar-sounding characters like 叫 (jiào - to call) or 料 (liào - material), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我调了她的名字' (I adjusted her name) instead of '我叫了她的名字' (I called her name) can be misleading.

Write 调

调

Practice writing 调 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 调

调 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 22 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 lessons6
Exercise 1 of 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

舒服什么啊，办公室空____坏了。

Comfortable? The office AC is broken!

Example Sentences for 调 (14)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我妈妈充当了泽尔达和她妈妈之间的调解人。

wǒ mā mā chōng dāng le zé ěr dá hé tā mā mā zhī jiān de tiáo jiě rén。

My mom was the one who mediated between Zelda and her mom.
2
你知道，瑞士不仅仅只有牛铃声和约德尔调歌声。

nǐ zhī dào， ， ruì shì bù jǐn jǐn zhī yǒu niú líng shēng hé yuē dé ěr tiáo gē。

Switzerland isn't all cow bells and yodelling, you know.
3
将胭脂调匀涂在你脸颊红润的地方。

jiāng yān zhī tiáo yún tú zài nǐ liǎn jiá hóng rùn de dì fāng。

Dust and blend blusher on the apples of your cheeks.
4
你上次和他调情或挑逗他是什么时候？

nǐ shàng cì hé tā tiáo qíng huò tiāo dòu tā shì shí mó shí hòu？

When did you last flirt with him or tease him?
5
正如1892年剧本的副标题所强调的，《凯瑟琳》是一部“爱尔兰戏剧”。

zhèng rú1892 1892 nián jù běn de fù biāo tí suǒ qiáng tiáo，《 de ，《 kǎi》 sè lín 》“ shì yī bù “ ài”。

"Kathleen" was, as its 1892 subtitle asserted, "An Irish Drama".
6
调查已经展开，以查明灾难是如何发生的。

tiáo chá yǐ jīng zhǎn kāi， ， yǐ chá míng zāi nán shì rú hé fā shēng。

An investigation is underway to find out how the disaster happened.
7
利率有望早日下调，从而增强了人们的信心。

lì shuài yǒu wàng zǎo rì xià tiáo， ， cóng ér zēng qiáng le rén mén de xìn。

Hopes of an early cut in interest rates bolstered confidence.
8
一些公司已降低了宣传资料中标榜之词的调门。

yī xiē gōng sī yǐ jiàng dī le xuān chuán zī liào zhōng biāo bǎng zhī cí de tiáo mén。

Some companies have toned down the claims on their promotional literature.
9
民意调查征询了将近80位经济学家的意见。

mín yì tiáo chá zhēng xún le jiāng jìn80 80 wèi jīng jì xué jiā de yì。

The poll canvassed the views of almost eighty economists.
10
孩子们调皮捣蛋的时候她管不了。

hái zǐ mén tiáo pí dǎo dàn de shí hòu tā guǎn bù le。

When the children misbehaved she was unable to cope.
11
他被公司调到上海工作。

Tā bèi gōngsī diào dào Shànghǎi gōngzuò.

He was transferred by the company to work in Shanghai.
12
小李被调到海外分公司，负责新的项目。

Xiǎo Lǐ bèi diào dào hǎiwài fēngōngsī, fùzé xīn de xiàngmù.

Xiao Li was transferred to the overseas branch to manage the new project.
13
由于人手不足，经理决定把她调到客服部门。

Yóuyú rénshǒu bùzú, jīnglǐ juédìng bǎ tā diào dào kèfú bùmén.

Due to a lack of staff, the manager decided to transfer her to the customer service department.
14
他申请调去总部以便更好地发展职业。

Tā shēnqǐng diào qù zǒngbù yǐbiàn gèng hǎo de fāzhǎn zhíyè.

He applied to be transferred to the headquarters to better develop his career.

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Cultural Notes for 调

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western music, harmony is often about chord progressions, while in Chinese culture, 调 also encompasses the emotional and relational aspects of music and life, emphasizing a broader application of harmony.

Word Family of 调

Words Containing This Character20
调查diàocháinquiry調查
调整tiáozhěngto adjust調整
调diàoto transfer調
强调qiángdiàoto stress強調
协调xiétiáoto coordinate協調
空调kōngtiáoair conditioning空調
调节tiáojiéto adjust調節
低调dīdiàolow pitch低調
调情to flirt調情
调控tiáokòngto regulate調控
调动diàodòngto transfer調動
调研diàoyánresearch調研
宏观调控macro-control宏觀調控
上调shàngtiáoto raise (prices)上調
调解tiáojiěto mediate調解
调味seasoning調味
下调xiàdiàoto demote下調
调头tune調頭
调度diàodùto schedule調度
调皮tiáopínaughty調皮
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 调

What does 调查 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 调

调 is pronounced as 'diào', with a falling tone. Practice saying it with emphasis on the tone to distinguish it from similar sounds.

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