斗

2 readings · tap one to hear it

to fight; to struggle; to condemn; to censure; to contend; to put together; coming together

Sound it out + = · + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Ideographic compound (会意字)

A hand holding a measuring dipper

Components 十 ? unknown part

Big Dipper · Heisig RSH #968

ice + 十 ten — as a component also called: measuring cup

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

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

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
海水不可斗量	hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒu liáng	see 人不可貌相，海水不可斗量[ren2 bu4 ke3 mao4 xiang4 , hai3 shui3 bu4 ke3 dou3 liang2]
斗门区	Dǒu mén Qū	Doumen, a district of Zhuhai City 珠海市[Zhu1 hai3 Shi4], Guangdong
斗地主	dòu dì zhǔ	dou dizhu ("fight the landlord") (card game)
空中格斗	kōng zhōng gé dòu	dogfight (of planes)
一对一斗牛	yī duì yī dòu niú	one-on-one basketball game
化学战斗部	huà xué zhàn dòu bù	chemical warhead
三对三斗牛	sān duì sān dòu niú	three-on-three basketball game
日进斗金	rì jìn dǒu jīn	(idiom) to rake in money; to make money hand over fist
斗大	dǒu dà	huge
战斗机	zhàn dòu jī	fighter (aircraft)
山斗	shān dǒu	abbr. for 泰山北斗[Tai4 shan1 Bei3 dou3]
战斗力	zhàn dòu lì	fighting strength
斗气	dòu qì	to have a grudge against
公斗	gōng dǒu	decaliter
人权斗士	rén quán dòu shì	a human rights activist; a fighter for human rights
人不可貌相，海水不可斗量	rén bù kě mào xiàng , hǎi shuǐ bù kě dǒu liáng	you can't judge a person by appearance, just as you can't measure the sea with a pint pot …
斗车	dǒu chē	hopper car; wheelbarrow
车斗	chē dǒu	open-topped container (mounted on a truck or cart) for carrying loads; dump box (of a dump…
斗门	Dǒu mén	see 斗門區\|斗门区[Dou3 men2 Qu1]
战斗者	zhàn dòu zhě	fighter

These characters use 斗 as their sound component — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
斗 sound part	dòu	to struggle, to fight, to contend; measuring cup
抖	dǒu	to tremble, to shake, to rouse
枓	dǒu	capital, base; a pedestal for a flag
蚪	dǒu	tadpole