吊 (diào) is a Chinese character meaning “to hang”. It is written from 口 (mouth) and 巾 (cloth), one above the other, and takes 6 strokes.
Build the character for “to hang, to suspend”
Four steps: break it apart, build it, recall it, use it in a word.
StartLearn this character
Structure
口 + 巾
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: IDS 现代字形拆分（已对照 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 六笔核验：口 3 笔 + 巾 3 笔）
Memory aid
A hook-shaped mouth (口) up top, with a cloth (巾) dangling underneath it — something hung up and swinging.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
6 strokes
In real words
- 吊车diào chēcrane (lifting machine); hoist吊 = diào
- 吊灯diào dēngpendant lamp; hanging light; chandelier吊 = diào
- 吊唁diào yànto offer condolences; to pay respects to the deceased吊 = diào
Go deeper
All readings
to hang; to suspend
to hang; to suspend; to hoist or lower with a rope or crane
把东西挂起来；用绳子或机器把重物往上提或往下放。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 吊车diào chēcrane (lifting machine); hoist吊 = diào
- 吊灯diào dēngpendant lamp; hanging light; chandelier吊 = diào
- 吊唁diào yànto offer condolences; to pay respects to the deceased吊 = diào
Easy to confuse with
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 吊 mean?
吊 (diào) means to hang; to suspend; to hoist or lower with a rope or crane.
How do you pronounce 吊?
It is pronounced diào.
What parts is 吊 made of?
口 (mouth) and 巾 (cloth), one above the other. The recorded source is: IDS 现代字形拆分（已对照 hanzi-writer-data 2.0.1 六笔核验：口 3 笔 + 巾 3 笔）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 吊 have?
6. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 吊?
口. The radical is how the character is filed in a dictionary — it is not the whole story of how the character is built.
What words use 吊?
Common ones are 吊车 and 吊灯. The reading of 吊 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.