哨

shào
HSK 6
#2,378 most
frequent character
a whistle, sentry
noun

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

哨 shào has 口 mouth as meaning part and 肖 xiào as sound part. It first meant a crooked mouth. From that came whistling or chirping, and then a sentry, one who whistles.

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Example Sentences

他吹响了哨子，比赛开始了。
tā chuī xiǎngle shàozǐ ， bǐsài kāishǐ le 。
He blew the whistle, and the game started.
在军队里，哨兵负责守卫。
zài jūnduì lǐ ， shàobīng fùzé shǒuwèi 。
In the army, the sentry is responsible for guarding.
这个哨子是用来控制比赛的。
zhègè shàozǐ shìyòng lái kòngzhì bǐsài de 。
This whistle is used to control the match.

Words with similar meanings

号角hàojiǎo
horn
Refers to a horn, often used for signaling, which can be similar in function to a whistle but usually has a different sound and use case.
警报器jǐngbàoqì
alarm
An alarm can serve a signaling purpose similar to a whistle, but it typically implies a louder and more urgent warning.

Homophones

少shào
young
稍shào
see 稍息[shao4 xi1]
绍shào
to continue, to carry on

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HSK 6
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Communication
Talking, calling, emails, letters, expressions for clarity and tone.
Sports & Activities
Basketball, soccer, swimming, running, and other popular sports.