扣

釦

kòu

口 + 扌

HSK 2.0Level 6

HSK 3.0Level 6

Definitions

kòu (verb) to button; to fasten; to buckle

kòu (noun) button; buckle

kòu (verb) to deduct (money); discount

kòu (verb) to confiscate; to arrest

kòu (verb) to knock; to hit

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 口 represents the sound. Simplified form of 釦.

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 口

About

扣 is the simplified form of the traditional character 釦, a phonosemantic compound. The left-side radical 扌 'hand' indicates a manual action, while the right-side component 口 'mouth' serves as a phonetic marker, hinting at the pronunciation. Originally, it meant to strike, knock, or tap, like knocking on a door. Later, the character's range of meanings expanded considerably: fastening a button, covering something by turning it upside down, forcibly detaining a person or object, and in financial contexts, deducting, discounting, or subtracting an amount from a total.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

请扣好安全带。

Qǐng kòu hǎo ānquán dài.

Please fasten your seatbelt.

他把扣子扣上了。

Tā bǎ kòuzi kòu shàngle.

He buttoned up his button.

老师扣了我五分。

Lǎoshī kòule wǒ wǔ fēn.

The teacher deducted five points from me.

他扣球非常厉害。

Tā kòu qiú fēichāng lìhai.

He is very good at spiking the ball.

因为迟到，他被扣了工资。

Yīnwèi chídào, tā bèi kòule gōngzī.

Because he was late, his salary was deducted.

公司扣除了他的部分奖金。

Gōngsī kòuchúle tā de bùfen jiǎngjīn.

The company deducted part of his bonus.

警察扣留了违章车辆。

Jǐngchá kòuliúle wéizhāng chēliàng.

The police detained the vehicle that violated the rules.

由于多次违规，他的驾照被扣留了三个月。

Yóuyú duō cì wéiguī, tā de jiàzhào bèi kòuliúle sān gè yuè.

Due to multiple violations, his driver's license was suspended for three months.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 口

Component: 扌

扣