口

kǒu

mouth

classifier for things with mouths (people, domestic animals, cannons, wells etc); classifier for bites or mouthfuls

a picture of 口 → an open mouth

Oracle bone script drew it as a simple open rectangle, mimicking the shape of an open mouth. The same word extends naturally to anything with an opening — a well, a cannon, a person counted by their mouths to feed.

冂+一→口

他喝了一口水,感觉好多了。

tā hē le yī kǒu shuǐ, gǎn jué hǎo duō le。

he drank a mouthful of water and felt much better.

这个村子里有几口井?

zhè ge cūn zi lǐ yǒu jǐ kǒu jǐng?

how many wells are there in this village?

Words with 口

漱口

shù kǒu

to rinse one's mouth; to gargle

闸口

zhá kǒu

area in the Shangcheng district of Hangzhou

口传

kǒu chuán

to convey orally; to pass on by word of mouth (instructions, information, stories etc)

口角

kǒu jiǎo

corner of the mouth

口角

kǒu jué

altercation; wrangle; angry argument

封口

fēng kǒu

to keep one's lips sealed

出入口

chū rù kǒu

gateway

口头禅

kǒu tóu chán

(fig.) catchphrase; mantra; favorite expression; stock phrase

老两口

lǎo liǎng kǒu

old married couple

口才

kǒu cái

eloquence

有口皆碑

yǒu kǒu jiē bēi

every voice gives praise (idiom); with an extensive public reputation

出口

chū kǒu

an exit

More characters with 冂

册冈南冉囗円