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骚扰 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
骚扰sāorǎoto disturbHSK 7, v, rank #3666, Hard
骚扰sāorǎoto cause a commotionHSK 7, v, rank #3666, Hard
骚扰sāorǎoto harassHSK 7, v, rank #3666, Hard
sāorǎo(sao1rao3) T1
  1. 1to disturb
  2. 2to cause a commotion
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
骚扰(騷擾)sāorǎo(sao1rao3)

骚扰 (sāo rǎo) means to disturb or harass someone, often in a persistent or unwanted manner. It is commonly used in legal, social, and personal contexts to describe behaviors that intrude on someone's peace or privacy.

Frequency#3666DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

骚扰 is particularly relevant in discussions about personal space and harassment laws in modern Chinese society, reflecting growing awareness around these issues.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'sow' (sounds like '骚') that 'raucously' (sounds like '扰') interrupts a quiet garden, causing chaos. This image of disturbance helps you remember both the sound and meaning of 骚扰.

Meanings of 骚扰

sāorǎo(sao1rao3)
1to disturb
2to cause a commotion
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 骚扰

骚扰Simplified
騷擾Traditional
Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3666Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 骚扰

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Podcast: 骚扰

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AI Study Notes for 骚扰

Quick Contrast

骚扰 (sāorǎo) vs 干扰 (gānrǎo): Use 骚扰 when referring to harassment that is persistent and unwanted, while 干扰 typically implies interference that may not have the same personal or intrusive connotation.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a 'sow' (sounds like '骚') that 'raucously' (sounds like '扰') interrupts a quiet garden, causing chaos. This image of disturbance helps you remember both the sound and meaning of 骚扰.

Usage Notes

骚扰 is typically used in negative contexts and is considered formal. Common collocations include 骚扰电话 (harassing phone calls) and 性骚扰 (sexual harassment). Be mindful of the tone; '骚' should be pronounced with a high level tone while '扰' has a falling tone.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 骚扰 connects with other advanced vocabulary around social issues and legal terminology. Focus on using it in sentences discussing personal boundaries or legal rights.

Cultural Note

骚扰 is particularly relevant in discussions about personal space and harassment laws in modern Chinese society, reflecting growing awareness around these issues.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 骚扰 with 打扰; for instance, saying '我在骚扰你' (I am disturbing you) when they mean 'I am bothering you' can be inappropriate. The correct usage would be '我在打扰你'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 骚扰

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Component Characters

sāotrouble
HSK 712 strokes
View full entry
rǎoto disturb
7 strokes
View full entry

Write 骚扰

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

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Grammar Patterns of 骚扰

骚扰 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 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

如果遭到了性____,你应该采取行动。

If you're sexually harassed, you ought to do something about it.

Example Sentences for 骚扰 (4)

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1
如果遭到了性骚扰,你应该采取行动。

rú guǒ zāo dào le xìng sāo rǎo, , nǐ yīng gāi cǎi qǔ háng。

If you're sexually harassed, you ought to do something about it.
2
内务大臣正考虑制定一项针对跟踪骚扰的新法律。

nèi wù dà chén zhèng kǎo lǜ zhì dìng yī xiàng zhēn duì gēn zōng sāo rǎo de xīn fǎ lǜ。

The Home Secretary is considering a new law against stalking.
3
这本书关注的是童年时遭受过性骚扰的人。

zhè běn shū guān zhù de shì tóng nián shí zāo shòu guò xìng sāo rǎo de rén。

This book is written with survivors of child sexual abuse in mind.
4
士兵们不断作骚扰性的攻击直至把敌人赶出国境为止.

shì bīng mén bù duàn zuò sāo rǎo xìng de gōng jī zhí zhì bǎ dí rén gǎn chū guó jìng wéi zhǐ.

The soldiers harried the enemy out of the country.

Cultural Notes for 骚扰

🏮Cultural insight

骚扰 is particularly relevant in discussions about personal space and harassment laws in modern Chinese society, reflecting growing awareness around these issues.

Frequently Asked Questions about 骚扰

骚扰 implies a more aggressive or persistent form of disturbance, while 打扰 (dǎ rǎo) is more general and can refer to any interruption.