哭

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to cry; to weep

Sound it out + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Ideographic compound (会意字)

To shed a tear from your eyes 口 over a person 犬

cry · Heisig RSH #248

chatterbox + chihuahua

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

The most common words first — learning a character in context makes it stick.

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
哭得死去活来	kū de sǐ qù huó lái	to cry one's heart out
同声一哭	tóng shēng yī kū	to share one's feeling of grief with others (idiom)
放声大哭	fàng shēng dà kū	to sob loudly; to bawl
哭笑不得	kū xiào bù dé	lit. not to know whether to laugh or cry (idiom); both funny and extremely embarrassing; b…
一哭二闹三上吊	yī kū èr nào sān shàng diào	(lit.) to cry, then shout, then threaten suicide (saying); (fig.) to make a terrible scene…
会哭的孩子有糖吃	huì kū de hái zi yǒu táng chī	lit. the child who cries gets the candy (idiom); fig. the squeaky wheel gets the grease
会哭的孩子有奶吃	huì kū de hái zi yǒu nǎi chī	lit. a child who cries gets to feed at the breast (idiom); fig. the squeaky wheel gets the…
哭秋风	kū qiū fēng	autumnal sadness
哭鼻子	kū bí zi	to snivel (usually humorous)
大哭	dà kū	to cry loudly
爱哭鬼	ài kū guǐ	crybaby
猫哭老鼠	māo kū lǎo shǔ	the cat weeps for the dead mouse (idiom); hypocritical pretence of condolence; crocodile t…
哭丧着脸	kū sang zhe liǎn	to pull a long face; to wear a mournful expression
哭声	kū shēng	sound of weeping
号哭	háo kū	to bawl; to wail; to cry
说哭	shuō kū	to make (sb) cry (with one's harsh words)
抱头痛哭	bào tóu tòng kū	to weep disconsolately; to cry on each other's shoulder
悲歌当哭	bēi gē dàng kū	to sing instead of weep (idiom)
哭灵	kū líng	to weep before a coffin or a memorial to the dead
哭脸	kū liǎn	to weep; to snivel