Day #009 口 – Mouth

口 (kǒu)

口 (kǒu) is a fundamental Chinese character meaning “mouth” or “opening.” It is one of the most commonly used radicals in Chinese and often appears in words related to speech, eating, sound, or physical openings . Beyond its literal meaning, 口 is also used metaphorically in phrases involving tone of voice, taste, verbal communication, and even population count. It plays an important role in both daily conversation and formal language. The character combines with others to form common words like 人口 (rénkǒu, population), 开口 (kāikǒu, to speak), and 口味 (kǒuwèi, taste).

1. 人口 (rén kǒu) – Population

Example :
北京的人口 很多。
Pinyin : Běijīng de rén kǒu hěn duō.
Literal : Beijing’s population very many
Meaning : Beijing has a large population.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 北京 (Běijīng) – Beijing
  • 的 (de) – possessive marker (“of”)
  • 人口 (rén kǒu) – population
  • 很 (hěn) – very
  • 多 (duō) – many

2. 门口 (mén kǒu) – Doorway / Entrance

Example :
我们在学校门口 见面吧。
Pinyin : Wǒmen zài xuéxiào ménkǒu jiànmiàn ba.
Literal : We at school entrance meet right?
Meaning : Let’s meet at the school entrance.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 我们 (wǒmen) – we
  • 在 (zài) – at
  • 学校 (xuéxiào) – school
  • 门口 (ménkǒu) – doorway
  • 见面 (jiànmiàn) – meet
  • 吧 (ba) – suggestion particle

3. 出口 (chū kǒu) – Exit / To Export

Example :
安全出口 在这里。
Pinyin : Ānquán chūkǒu zài zhèlǐ.
Literal : Safety exit is here
Meaning : The emergency exit is here.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 安全 (ānquán) – safety
  • 出口 (chūkǒu) – exit
  • 在 (zài) – located at
  • 这里 (zhèlǐ) – here

4. 入口 (rù kǒu) – Entrance

Example :
入口 在右边。
Pinyin : Rùkǒu zài yòubiān.
Literal : Entrance is right side
Meaning : The entrance is on the right.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 入口 (rùkǒu) – entrance
  • 在 (zài) – located at
  • 右边 (yòubiān) – right side

5. 口气 (kǒu qì) – Tone of Voice

Example :
他的口气 不太好。
Pinyin : Tā de kǒu qì bú tài hǎo.
Literal : His tone not too good
Meaning : His tone isn’t very nice.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 他 (tā) – he
  • 的 (de) – possessive
  • 口气 (kǒu qì) – tone
  • 不太好 (bú tài hǎo) – not very good

6. 借口 (jiè kǒu) – Excuse

Example :
他总是找借口 不来上班。
Pinyin : Tā zǒngshì zhǎo jièkǒu bù lái shàngbān.
Literal : He always finds excuse not come work
Meaning : He always makes excuses not to come to work.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 他 (tā) – he
  • 总是 (zǒngshì) – always
  • 找 (zhǎo) – to find
  • 借口 (jièkǒu) – excuse
  • 不来 (bù lái) – doesn’t come
  • 上班 (shàngbān) – go to work

7. 口头 (kǒutóu) – Verbal / Oral

Example :
这只是口头 承诺，不是书面的。
Pinyin : Zhè zhǐshì kǒutóu chéngnuò, bú shì shūmiàn de.
Literal : This only verbal promise, not written one
Meaning : This is just a verbal promise, not written.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 这 (zhè) – this
  • 只是 (zhǐshì) – only
  • 口头 (kǒutóu) – verbal
  • 承诺 (chéngnuò) – promise
  • 不是 (bú shì) – not
  • 书面 (shūmiàn) – written
  • 的 (de) – one (used for comparison)

8. 口味 (kǒu wèi) – Taste / Preference

Example :
我的口味 偏甜。
Pinyin : Wǒ de kǒu wèi piān tián.
Literal : My taste preference leans sweet
Meaning : I prefer sweet food.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 我 (wǒ) – I
  • 的 (de) – possessive
  • 口味 (kǒu wèi) – taste
  • 偏 (piān) – lean toward
  • 甜 (tián) – sweet

9. 开口 (kāi kǒu) – To speak / open mouth

Example :
她终于开口 说话了。
Pinyin : Tā zhōngyú kāi kǒu shuōhuà le.
Literal : She finally opened mouth speak past
Meaning : She finally spoke.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 她 (tā) – she
  • 终于 (zhōngyú) – finally
  • 开口 (kāi kǒu) – to start speaking
  • 说话 (shuōhuà) – to speak
  • 了 (le) – indicates completed action

10. 一口 (yī kǒu) – One bite / sip

Example :
她喝了一口 咖啡。
Pinyin : Tā hē le yī kǒu kāfēi.
Literal : She drank one sip coffee
Meaning : She took a sip of coffee.

🔹 Word breakdown :

  • 她 (tā) – she
  • 喝 (hē) – to drink
  • 了 (le) – past tense
  • 一 (yī) – one
  • 口 (kǒu) – measure word for sips/bites
  • 咖啡 (kāfēi) – coffee

1. What does 口 (kǒu) mean by itself?

A) Nose
B) Mouth
C) Eye
D) Ear

2. What does 人口 (rén kǒu) mean?

A) Entrance
B) Exit
C) Population
D) Taste

3. Which sentence means “Let’s meet at the school entrance”?

A) 我们在学校门口见面吧。
Wǒmen zài xuéxiào ménkǒu jiànmiàn ba.

B) 我们在学校里面见面吧。
Wǒmen zài xuéxiào lǐmiàn jiànmiàn ba.

C) 我们在操场跑步吧。
Wǒmen zài cāochǎng pǎobù ba.

D) 我们去公园玩吧。
Wǒmen qù gōngyuán wán ba.

4. What does 出口 (chū kǒu) mean?

A) Door
B) Window
C) Exit
D) Floor

5. What does 入口 (rù kǒu) mean?

A) Exit
B) Entrance
C) Roof
D) Garden

6. Which phrase means “tone of voice”?

A) 借口 (jièkǒu)
B) 口气 (kǒu qì)
C) 口味 (kǒu wèi)
D) 开口 (kāi kǒu)

7. What does 借口 (jièkǒu) mean?

A) Promise
B) Excuse
C) Agreement
D) Question

8. What does 口头 (kǒutóu) mean?

A) Written
B) Verbal
C) Funny
D) Serious

9. What does 口味 (kǒu wèi) mean?

A) Voice
B) Food preference / taste
C) One bite
D) Mouth

10. What does 一口 (yī kǒu) mean?

A) One book
B) One cup
C) One mouth
D) One sip or one bite

1. What does 口 (kǒu) mean by itself?

🔹 Correct Answer: B) 口 (kǒu) – Mouth

📘 Explanation:

  • 口 (kǒu) means mouth .
  • It’s used in many phrases related to speaking, eating, or sound.

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 鼻子 (bízi ) – nose
  • B) 口 (kǒu ) – mouth ✅
  • C) 眼睛 (yǎnjīng ) – eye
  • D) 耳朵 (ěrduo ) – ear

2. What does 人口 (rén kǒu) mean?

🔹 Correct Answer: C) 人口 (rén kǒu) – Population

📘 Explanation:

  • 人 (rén) = person/people
  • 口 (kǒu) = mouth
  • Together, 人口 (rén kǒu) literally means “mouths” but refers to population 

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 入口 (rùkǒu ) – entrance
  • B) 出口 (chūkǒu ) – exit
  • C) 人口 (rén kǒu ) – population ✅
  • D) 味道 (wèidào ) – taste

3. Which sentence means “Let’s meet at the school entrance”?

🔹 Correct Answer: A) 我们在学校门口见面吧。
Wǒmen zài xuéxiào ménkǒu jiànmiàn ba.

📘 Explanation:

  • 我们 (wǒmen) – we
  • 在 (zài) – at
  • 学校 (xuéxiào) – school
  • 门口 (ménkǒu) – doorway / entrance
  • 见面 (jiànmiàn) – meet
  • 吧 (ba) – let’s

✔️ Full meaning: “Let’s meet at the school entrance.”

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 我们在学校门口见面吧。Wǒmen zài xuéxiào ménkǒu jiànmiàn ba. ✅
  • B) 我们在学校里面见面吧。Wǒmen zài xuéxiào lǐmiàn jiànmiàn ba. – Let’s meet inside the school
  • C) 我们在操场跑步吧。Wǒmen zài cāochǎng pǎobù ba. – Let’s run on the playground
  • D) 我们去公园玩吧。Wǒmen qù gōngyuán wán ba. – Let’s go to the park to play

4. What does 出口 (chū kǒu) mean?

🔹 Correct Answer: C) 出口 (chū kǒu) – Exit

📘 Explanation:

  • 出 (chū) = out
  • 口 (kǒu) = opening
  • Together, they form exit , often seen on signs.

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 门 (mén ) – door
  • B) 窗户 (chuānghù ) – window
  • C) 出口 (chūkǒu ) – exit ✅
  • D) 地板 (dìbǎn ) – floor

5. What does 入口 (rù kǒu) mean?

🔹 Correct Answer: B) 入口 (rù kǒu) – Entrance

📘 Explanation:

  • 入 (rù) = enter
  • 口 (kǒu) = opening
  • So 入口 (rù kǒu) means entrance .

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 出口 (chūkǒu ) – exit
  • B) 入口 (rùkǒu ) – entrance ✅
  • C) 屋顶 (wūdǐng ) – roof
  • D) 花园 (huāyuán ) – garden

6. Which phrase means “tone of voice”?

🔹 Correct Answer: B) 口气 (kǒu qì) – Tone of voice

📘 Explanation:

  • 口气 (kǒu qì) literally means “mouth + breath,” and is used to describe someone’s tone of voice — whether polite, rude, etc.

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 借口 (jièkǒu ) – excuse
  • B) 口气 (kǒu qì ) – tone of voice ✅
  • C) 口味 (kǒuwèi ) – taste
  • D) 开口 (kāikǒu ) – to speak up

7. What does 借口 (jièkǒu) mean?

🔹 Correct Answer: B) 借口 (jièkǒu) – Excuse

📘 Explanation:

  • 借 (jiè) = borrow / make up
  • 口 (kǒu) = mouth
  • Together, 借口 (jièkǒu) means excuse — something you say to justify not doing something.

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 承诺 (chéngnuò ) – promise
  • B) 借口 (jièkǒu ) – excuse ✅
  • C) 协议 (xiéyì ) – agreement
  • D) 问题 (wèntí ) – question

8. What does 口头 (kǒutóu) mean?

🔹 Correct Answer: B) 口头 (kǒutóu) – Verbal

📘 Explanation:

  • 口头 (kǒutóu) means verbal or oral , such as a verbal promise.

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 书面 (shūmiàn ) – written
  • B) 口头 (kǒutóu ) – verbal ✅
  • C) 有趣 (yǒuqù ) – funny
  • D) 严肃 (yán sù ) – serious

9. What does 口味 (kǒu wèi) mean?

🔹 Correct Answer: B) 口味 (kǒu wèi) – Food preference / Taste

📘 Explanation:

  • 口味 (kǒu wèi) means what kind of food/drink you like — your taste preference .

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 语气 (yǔqì ) – tone of voice
  • B) 口味 (kǒuwèi ) – taste ✅
  • C) 一口 (yī kǒu ) – one bite/sip
  • D) 嘴巴 (zuǐba ) – mouth

10. What does 一口 (yī kǒu) mean?

🔹 Correct Answer: D) 一口 (yī kǒu) – One sip or one bite

📘 Explanation:

  • 一 (yī) = one
  • 口 (kǒu) = mouth/opening
  • Together, 一口 (yī kǒu) is a measure word for taking a small amount — like a bite or a sip .

📘 Options with pinyin:

  • A) 一本书 (yī běn shū ) – one book
  • B) 一杯水 (yī bēi shuǐ ) – one cup of water
  • C) 一张嘴 (yī zhāng zuǐ ) – one mouth
  • D) 一口 (yī kǒu ) – one bite or one sip ✅

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