口 (kǒu) - mouth & opening

口Tone 3

kǒu ｜ 3 strokes ｜ radical: 口

俊梁

口 · kǒu

mouth;

opening;

entrance;

gateway;

classifier for things with mouths or openings (people, wells, etc.

);

port;

spoken words

mouthopeningentrance

Usage highlights

PopulationEntranceExitPortTasteMouth cavity

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 心— heart (as in speech vs. true feelings)
  • 腹— abdomen (as in 口蜜腹剑)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He opened his mouth (开口).
  • This is the entrance to the park (公园入口).
  • There are three people in my family (三口人).
  • She has a sweet mouth (嘴甜).

Collocations

  • Population(人口)
  • Entrance(入口)
  • Exit(出口)
  • Port(港口)
  • Taste(口味)
  • Mouth cavity(口腔)

Idioms

  • Heart and mouth are not in agreement(心口不一)
  • Eloquent and quick-witted(口若悬河)
  • Bitter medicine cures sickness, unpalatable advice benefits conduct(良药苦口利于病，忠言逆耳利于行)
  • A mouth full of benevolence and righteousness, but a heart full of craft and malice(口蜜腹剑)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the most fundamental Chinese characters, representing both the physical mouth and abstract concepts of speech and openings.
  • Used as a classifier for people in families (e.g., 三口人 - three family members) and for objects with openings.
  • Appears in many compound words related to communication, geography, and measurement.

FAQ