Meanings of 坨
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About 坨
Podcast: 坨
Podcast: 坨
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AI Study Notes for 坨
堆 (duī) - use 坨 when describing an irregular or uneven mass, while 堆 refers to a neatly arranged pile.
Learners often confuse 坨 with similar characters like 坡 (pō, slope) or 堆 (duī, pile), but 坨 specifically implies a lump rather than a structured pile. It is more informal and may not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 坨子 (tuó zi), which refers to a small lump or a heap.
While 坨 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be related to other characters dealing with shapes or volumes that are common in basic vocabulary. Students should focus on recognizing this character in context and understanding how it complements more common words.
Learners often mistakenly use 坨 in formal contexts where 堆 or other more appropriate terms may fit better. For example, saying '我看到一个坨在桌子上' (I saw a lump on the table) should be corrected to '我看到一堆在桌子上' (I saw a pile on the table) if referring to a more structured group of items.
Pronunciation of 坨
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Etymology of 坨
Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 它 represents the sound.
earth
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 坨
Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 它 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half土 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half它 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayearth
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 坨? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 坨
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How to say lump, heap in Chinese
“lump, heap” in Chinese is坨
The character 坨 (tuó) refers to a lump or heap, typically of material such as earth, clay, or food. It is commonly used to describe a pile that is uneven or irregular in shape. In everyday conversation, it may refer to a sizable mass of something that has been gathered together.
When to use 坨
Learners often confuse 坨 with similar characters like 坡 (pō, slope) or 堆 (duī, pile), but 坨 specifically implies a lump rather than a structured pile. It is more informal and may not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 坨子 (tuó zi), which refers to a small lump or a heap.
坨 or something close to it
堆 (duī) - use 坨 when describing an irregular or uneven mass, while 堆 refers to a neatly arranged pile.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 坨 in formal contexts where 堆 or other more appropriate terms may fit better. For example, saying '我看到一个坨在桌子上' (I saw a lump on the table) should be corrected to '我看到一堆在桌子上' (I saw a pile on the table) if referring to a more structured group of items.
Write 坨
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Practice writing 坨 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 坨
Compound Meaning
What does 坨 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 坨
While 坨 refers specifically to a lump or heap that is uneven or irregular, 堆 refers to a more organized pile, often implying a stack.
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