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脫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
脫tuōto take off, to shed; to escape fromx, 11 strokes, radical ⺼
tuō(tuo1) T1
  1. 1to take off, to shed; to escape from
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March 24, 2026

脫tuō(tuo1)

The character 脫 (tuō) means 'to take off' or 'to shed,' commonly used in contexts such as removing clothing or shedding skin. It can also imply 'to escape from' a situation, like fleeing from danger. This dual meaning highlights its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

Strokes11Radical⺼
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of shedding, such as removing layers of clothing, is often associated with seasonal changes, particularly during the spring festival when people clean their homes and themselves to welcome new beginnings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a snake (which sheds its skin) escaping from a tight space. The '脱' character resembles a person shedding layers of clothing while escaping, with the left part suggesting movement and the right part hinting at skin.

Meanings of 脫

tuō(tuo1)
1to take off, to shed; to escape from
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 脫

脫Simplified
11Strokes
⺼Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 脫

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Podcast: 脫

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AI Study Notes for 脫

Quick Contrast

脱 (tuō) vs 取 (qǔ) — use 脱 when emphasizing removal or shedding, while 取 focuses on the act of taking or obtaining something.

Usage Notes

Be mindful of the context when using 脫; it is more common in informal conversations. A common mistake is using it in a formal context where '去掉' (qùdiào) would be more appropriate for 'remove.' Remember to use the correct tone, as 脫 is pronounced with a first tone.

HSK Study Tips

Although 脫 is not included in the HSK levels, it relates to verbs about actions and movement, making it useful for HSK 3-4 students. Focus on its usage with clothing and situations to enhance your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 脫 with '脱掉' (tuōdiào), mistakenly using them interchangeably. For instance, saying '我脱掉外套' is correct, but '我脱外套' may sound incomplete in context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 脫

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Etymology of 脫

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 兑 represents the sound. Simplified form of 脫.

Memory Hint

flesh

Semantic (meaning)⺼
+
Phonetic (sound)兌
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

脫 = ⺼ + 兌. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 脫

IDS Structure⿰⺼兌
脫Full Character
=
⺼rou4
left
兌dui4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 脫?

How to say to take off, to shed; to escape from in Chinese

“to take off, to shed; to escape from” in Chinese is脫tuō

The character 脫 (tuō) means 'to take off' or 'to shed,' commonly used in contexts such as removing clothing or shedding skin. It can also imply 'to escape from' a situation, like fleeing from danger. This dual meaning highlights its versatility in both physical and metaphorical contexts.

When to use 脫

Be mindful of the context when using 脫; it is more common in informal conversations. A common mistake is using it in a formal context where '去掉' (qùdiào) would be more appropriate for 'remove.' Remember to use the correct tone, as 脫 is pronounced with a first tone.

脫 or something close to it

脱 (tuō) vs 取 (qǔ) — use 脱 when emphasizing removal or shedding, while 取 focuses on the act of taking or obtaining something.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 脫 with '脱掉' (tuōdiào), mistakenly using them interchangeably. For instance, saying '我脱掉外套' is correct, but '我脱外套' may sound incomplete in context.

Write 脫

脫

Practice writing 脫 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 脫

Words Containing This Character20
脱tuōto shed脫
摆脱bǎituōto break away from擺脫
脱离tuōlíto break away from脫離
逃脱to run away逃脫
解脱jiětuōto untie解脫
脱衣舞striptease脫衣舞
脱光to strip naked脫光
脱身tuōshēnto get away脫身
脱落tuōluòto drop off脫落
脱颖而出tuōyǐng’érchūto rise above others脫穎而出
脱水to dry out脫水
挣脱to throw off掙脫
洒脱natural灑脫
脱下to take off (clothing)脫下
脱口而出tuōkǒu’érchūto blurt out脫口而出
脱节tuōjiéto come apart脫節
脱发baldness脫髮
脱手to get rid of脫手
脱胎换骨to turn over a new leaf脫胎換骨
脱掉to remove脫掉
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 脫

What does 脱 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 脫

You can say '我脱了外套' (Wǒ tuōle wàitào) meaning 'I took off my coat.'

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