赌 (dǔ) — to gamble, to bet
Definition
赌 (dǔ) is the core verb 'to gamble / to bet' on money, games, or outcomes. 打赌 is the casual phrase 'to make a bet (with someone)', usually about a non-monetary outcome; 赌博 names gambling as a habitual activity or vice.
verb
to gambleto bet
Examples
- 赌。Wǒ gēn péng you dǔ míng tiān huì bú huì xià yǔ.I bet with my friend whether it will rain tomorrow.
- 。Tā yīn wèi dǔ bó shū guāng le suǒ yǒu qián.He lost all his money because of gambling.
- 赌，。Bié dǔ le, nǐ yíng bù liǎo.Stop gambling; you can't win.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 賭; 赌 is its simplified writing.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
貝貝bèishell; money
Sound part声符shēngfú
者
者zhě賭dǔ
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 賭 combines 貝 (shell; money) with 者, and this shape expresses the meaning to wager or to bet. The simplified 赌 is a shorthand.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.