操 Stroke Order — How to Write 操
操 is written in 16 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 扌, then complete the remaining strokes.
Stroke order matters in Chinese: it keeps the character balanced, and it is how dictionaries and handwriting input methods expect a character to be written.
操 Radical and Character Components
Components:扌喿
操 is a phono-semantic compound: 扌 (hand) carries the meaning, while 喿 indicates the sound.
Radical: 扌 + 13 more strokes
操 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- cāo
Meanings of 操 in Chinese
1
cāo操
To hold or grasp in hand, as in wielding a tool or writing implement.
他操刀切菜，动作娴熟。
He wielded the knife to cut vegetables, his movements skillful.
To control, operate, or steer something, such as a machine or vehicle.
他熟练地操纵着机器。
He skillfully operates the machine.
To be engaged in; to operate, manage, or handle; also to worry or be concerned about something.
她正在熟练地操作那台咖啡机。
She is skillfully operating that coffee machine.
Refers to physical exercise, military drills, or the ground used for such activities.
每天早上，学生们都会在操场上上操。
Every morning, students do morning exercises on the sports field.
To speak a language or dialect.
他操一口流利的普通话。
He speaks fluent Mandarin.
Conduct, behavior, or moral integrity.
他为人正直，深得大家敬佩，因为他一直保持着良好的操守
He is an upright person, deeply respected by everyone, because he has always maintained good integrity.
Common Words and Phrases with 操
1
to make arrangements for; to handle or manage (an event or affair)
她独自一人操办了整个家庭聚会，从准备食物到布置场地。
She single-handedly organized the entire family gathering, from preparing food to arranging the venue.
2
A ground or field used for sports, physical exercise, or military training, such as a playground, sports ground, or drill ground.
孩子们在操场上尽情地玩耍。
The children are playing happily on the sports ground.
3
To manage or handle affairs, especially household duties.
他一生操持简朴，为人正直。
He maintained a simple lifestyle throughout his life and was an upright person.
4
A drill book or drill manual, containing regulations and standards for military training.
新兵们仔细研读操典，学习各种队列动作
New recruits carefully study the drill manual, learning various formation movements.
5
To steer a vessel, controlling its direction with the helm.
经过多年的实践，他已经成为一名经验丰富的船长，能够熟练地操舵，带领船只避开暗礁。
After years of practice, he has become an experienced captain, capable of skillfully steering the vessel and guiding it to avoid submerged rocks.
6
toil; to work hard
为了让家人生活得更好，他常常日夜操劳，从不抱怨。
To ensure his family had a better life, he often toiled day and night, never complaining.
7
to drill; to practice; to train
消防员定期操练灭火技能，以应对紧急情况。
Firefighters regularly drill their fire extinguishing skills to prepare for emergencies.
8
drill ground
学校的操坪上，同学们正在进行体育课的热身活动
On the school's drill ground, students were performing warm-up exercises for their physical education class.
9
To act hastily or rashly; to coerce or force.
他性格比较操切，常常没仔细考虑就下决定。
He is rather impetuous by nature, often making decisions without careful consideration.
10
To worry about and take care of something or someone, often taxing one's mind.
为了一件小事而整日操神，真是没必要。
It's truly unnecessary to fret all day over such a minor issue.
11
Moral character or integrity, particularly referring to one's usual conduct and principles.
他以其严谨的操守赢得了同事们的尊重。
He earned the respect of his colleagues with his rigorous integrity.
12
13
behavior or conduct of a student
学校非常重视学生的操行培养，将其作为评价体系的重要部分。
The school attaches great importance to fostering students' conduct, considering it an important part of the evaluation system.
14
drill
乐队成员在礼堂里进行了一场操演，为即将到来的音乐会做准备。
The band members conducted a drill in the auditorium, preparing for the upcoming concert.
More words with 操
- bàng棒cāo操Club exercises, Stick exercises
- chū出cāo操perform drill, turn out for drill
- dài带cāo操ribbon gymnastics
- jié节cāo操high moral principle; integrity
- jūn军cāo操military drill
- liàn练cāo操practice exercises, do exercises
- qíng情cāo操sentiment, temperament
- quān圈cāo操rhythmic gymnastics hoop exercises
- shàng上cāo操to be drilling; to drill
- zǎo早cāo操morning exercises
- dé德cāo操Moral character, Virtue
- tǐ体cāo操gymnastics
- cāo操zuò作operate, operation
- jiàn健shēn身cāo操Aerobics, Aerobic exercises
- cāo操zòng纵manipulate, control
- cāo操chǎng场shàng上on the playground, on the sports field
- cāo操kòng控control, operate
- cāo操zuò作yuán员operator, technician
- cáo曹cāo操Cao Cao
- cāo操zuò作zhě者operator, user
Idioms with 操
- cāo操zhī之guò过jí急act with undue haste
- cāo操zòng纵zì自rú如control freely and skillfully
- bì必cāo操shèng胜quàn券be sure of victory
- mù幕hòu后cāo操zòng纵manipulate from behind the scenes
- rù入shì室cāo操gē戈use opponent's weapons against them
- tóng同shì室cāo操gē戈internal strife
- wěn稳cāo操shèng胜quàn券certain of victory
- wěn稳cāo操shèng胜suàn算be sure of success
- wěn稳cāo操zuǒ左quàn券have full assurance of success
- chóng重cāo操jiù旧yè业resume one's former occupation
- cāo操dāo刀bì必gē割act decisively and promptly
- cāo操gē戈rù入shì室use opponent's logic against them
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Open the tool →Questions about 操
What does 操 mean in Chinese?
操 (cāo) means “To hold or grasp in hand” in Chinese.
How do you pronounce 操?
操 is pronounced cāo in Mandarin Chinese.
How many strokes does 操 have?
操 has 16 strokes.
How do you write 操?
操 is written in 16 strokes, starting from the radical 扌. See the animated stroke order on this page.
What is the radical of 操?
The radical of 操 is 扌, and 操 is a phono-semantic compound.