臭 (chòu) is a Chinese character meaning “smelly”. It is written from 自 (self; nose) and 犬 (dog), one above the other, and takes 10 strokes.
Build the character for “smelly”
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Structure
自 + 犬
Top–bottom structure
Structure from: 说文解字「臭，禽走臭而知其迹者，犬也。从犬从自」；IDS 拆分 ⿱自犬，并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–5 为「自」，笔画 6–9 为「犬」（6+4=10画）
Memory aid
A nose (自) held above a dog (犬): the dog sniffs and wrinkles its nose at something that stinks. Both parts really are in this character.
This is a memory aid, not the historical origin.
Stroke order
10 strokes
In real words
- 臭味chòu wèibad smell; stench臭 = chòu
- 发臭fā chòuto start to stink; to go bad臭 = chòu
Go deeper
All readings
smelly
smelly; stinking; foul-smelling; disgusting
气味难闻的；也比喻令人讨厌的。 — studyhanzi 编写
Words with this reading
- 臭味chòu wèibad smell; stench臭 = chòu
- 发臭fā chòuto start to stink; to go bad臭 = chòu
Rare readings, not taught: xiù
Stroke data: hanzi-writer-data (Arphic Public License) · licenses & attributions
Questions people ask about this character
What does 臭 mean?
臭 (chòu) means smelly; stinking; foul-smelling; disgusting.
How do you pronounce 臭?
It is pronounced chòu.
What parts is 臭 made of?
自 (self; nose) and 犬 (dog), one above the other. The recorded source is: 说文解字「臭，禽走臭而知其迹者，犬也。从犬从自」；IDS 拆分 ⿱自犬，并以 hanzi-writer-data 笔画核验：笔画 0–5 为「自」，笔画 6–9 为「犬」（6+4=10画）. Components are the building blocks of the shape; the radical used for dictionary lookup is a separate thing.
How many strokes does 臭 have?
10. You can watch the stroke order on this page, or trace it yourself.
What is the radical of 臭?
自. 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 臭?
Common ones are 臭味 and 发臭. The reading of 臭 is not the same in every word, so each word on this page shows which reading applies.