Picture a mouth stretched open wide, which is why the ancient shape is just a box. That same shape later stretched to mean any opening, like a doorway or entrance. It also sits on the left side of mouth-related characters like 吃, 喝, and 叫.
口 is the formal, written mouth. In everyday speech about your own body, people say 嘴 or use the set phrase 口渴.
For a building entrance you need the full word 门口, not bare 口. 学校口 sounds like a cut-off robot phrase.
口 counts mouthfuls, not whole objects. A whole apple is 一个苹果, not 一口苹果.
Say 我嘴很干 or 我口渴. 口 is the formal written mouth, not your everyday face mouth.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday speech | 我嘴很干 / 我口渴 | 我口很干 |
| Written / compounds | 人口, 门口, 出口 | 人嘴, 嘴语 |
| Talking about a person | 他嘴很甜 | 他口很甜 |
口 also means 'opening,' so 门口 is the door's opening, not a door's mouth.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Building entrance | 学校门口 | 学校口 |
| Airport signs | 入口 / 出口 | 进门 / 出门 (as signs) |
| Meaning of 口 | opening, entrance | only 'mouth' |
Yes: 口 counts mouthfuls and family members, like 一口水 or 五口人.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| A sip / bite | 喝一口水, 吃一口饭 | 喝一个水 |
| Counting family | 五口人 | 五个口人 |
| Whole object | 一个苹果 | 一口苹果 |
Why would a millionaire leave a table of lobster and wagyu untouched? This story explores the hidden rules of business dining and the true cost of staying alert.
可他一 开口 ，整桌人都停下来听。
他说今年 出口 不好做，运费涨了三成，利润压到五个点以下。
他没接话，端起茶杯喝了 一口 。
挂了电话他把手机扔在座椅上，长长吐了 一口气 。
我说您吃的 那几口 不算吃。
今晚那桌饭三万二， 每一口 菜都是别人的试探。
你多夹 几口 ，别人就知道你好 哪口 。
车停在我小区 门口 。
车开走了，尾灯拐过 路口 消失。
我站在小区 门口 。
Learn the fascinating story behind the Chinese idiom '东山再起' (Dongshan Zaiji), which means to make a comeback. Discover its historical roots and modern usage.
比较搞笑的是它 口语 体的反义词：咸鱼翻身。
In this warm dialogue, a parent introduces their family at a restaurant. A teacher gently corrects common mistakes about family words and names, making it perfect for HSK 2 learners.
我们一家 四口人 。
This simple HSK 2 story introduces a warm family of six. Follow Little Bao and his British wife as they raise their two green-eyed children, each with their own personality.
“小包先生”的家有 六口人 ，他的爸妈、儿子、女儿和他们 两口子 。
This heartwarming story reveals the quiet devotion of a father. As you read, notice the repeated actions and how a simple cup of tea becomes meaningful.
老先生坐在七号桌子前，喝了第一 口 热茶。
A young man helps an old man look for his cat. But the real surprise is why the old man wanted to find the cat. Read on to learn about kindness and friendship.
一天，白天明在学校 大门口 前边看见有人写了找猫的话：“我想找一只大白猫。
Before you read, close your eyes and imagine a rainy afternoon. This story uses simple HSK 1 words to show how rain can become a talking friend.
我坐在 门口 ，看雨。
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