调

2 readings · tap one to hear it

to harmonize; to reconcile; to blend; to suit well; to adjust; to regulate; to season (food); to provoke; to incite

Sound it out + + = · + + =

Formation & memory

Break the character into parts you already know.

Phono-semantic compound (形声字)

讠 meaning “speech” + 周 sound ( zhōu )

Components 讠周

tune · Heisig RSH #357

lap + words

Keyword method from Heisig's Remembering Simplified Hanzi.

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

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
调门儿	diào mén r	erhua variant of 調門\|调门[diao4 men2]
定调子	dìng diào zi	to set the tone
调子	diào zi	tune; melody; tuning; cadence; intonation; (speech) tone
大调	dà diào	(music) major key
调头	diào tóu	variant of 掉頭\|掉头[diao4 tou2]
调头	diào tou	tone (of voice); tune
中调	zhōng diào	(perfumery) middle note; heart note
地调	dì diào	geological survey, abbr. for 地質調查\|地质调查[di4 zhi4 diao4 cha2]
小调	xiǎo diào	xiaodiao, a Chinese folk song genre; (music) minor key
调性	diào xìng	(music) tonality; (of an actor, company, magazine etc) style; image; tone; voice; characte…
调动	diào dòng	to transfer; to maneuver (troops etc); movement of personnel; to mobilize; to bring into p…
不调和	bù tiáo hé	discord
空调车	kōng tiáo chē	air conditioned vehicle
空气调节器	kōng qì tiáo jié qì	(formal) air conditioner
上调	shàng tiáo	to raise (prices); to adjust upwards
调光器	tiáo guāng qì	dimmer
高调	gāo diào	high-sounding speech; bombast; high-profile
上同调	shàng tóng diào	cohomology (invariant of a topological space in math.)
调发	diào fā	to requisition; to dispatch
下调	xià diào	to demote; to pass down to a lower unit

Characters sharing the sound component 周 — compare how they read.

Character	Pinyin	Meaning
周 sound part	zhōu	Zhou dynasty; circumference
雕	diāo	to carve, to engrave; eagle, vulture
绸	chóu	silk cloth, satin damask
稠	chóu	crowded, dense; viscous, thick
凋	diāo	withered, fallen; exhausted
赒	zhōu	to give to charity; to give alms
鲷	diāo	porgy; Pagrosomus major
啁	zhōu	to chirp, to twitter
惆	chóu	distressed, regretful, sad
碉	diāo	watchtower
椆	chóu	a species of tree resistant to cold weather
蜩	tiáo	cicada, broad locust