口

• 拼音: kǒu
• 汉字拆解: 口 = pictograph of an open mouth

含义

Mouth; opening; measure word for family members. A basic character used for the body part, various openings, and counting people in a household.

As a noun, 口 means mouth (开口 open one's mouth) or an opening (门口 doorway, 路口 intersection). As a measure word, it counts family members: 我家有四口人 (there are four people in my family). Also counts certain objects like wells (一口井) and pots (一口锅). Appears as a radical in many characters related to speaking and eating.

例句

1. 我家有五口人。
2. 请在路口左转。
3. 他渴了，喝了一口水。

用法指南

语境: family, everyday, directions

语气: neutral

正确说法

• 你家有几口人？(How many people are in your family?)
• 到路口右转就到了。(Turn right at the intersection and you're there.)

错误说法

• 说'三口朋友'来数朋友。(Don't use 口 to count friends — 口 as a measure word is only for family members; say 三个朋友)

起源与历史

One of the oldest pictographic characters, depicting the shape of an open mouth. It has served as both an independent character and a common radical in thousands of compound characters.

文化背景

世代: All ages

社会背景: Universal