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躂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
躂tàto stumble, to slipx, 19 strokes, radical 足, rank #93742, Very Hard
tà(ta4) T4
  1. 1to stumble, to slip
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March 24, 2026

躂tà(ta4)

The character 躂 (tà) means 'to stumble' or 'to slip.' It is often used to describe the action of losing balance or tripping while walking. This word can be applied in both literal contexts, such as physically stumbling, and figurative contexts, such as making a mistake or error in judgment.

Strokes19Radical足Frequency#93742DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The concept of stumbling or slipping is often reflected in Chinese proverbs that emphasize caution and mindfulness in daily life. For instance, the idea of being careful in one's steps can relate to the broader cultural context of valuing humility and self-awareness.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person trying to walk on a slippery surface, like ice, and suddenly losing their balance. The character 躂 resembles a person (the radical '身' on the left) slipping, emphasizing the action of stumbling. The pronunciation 'tà' can be remembered by picturing a 'ta-da' moment when they fall.

Meanings of 躂

tà(ta4)
1to stumble, to slip
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 躂

躂Simplified
19Strokes
足Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 躂

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Podcast: 躂

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AI Study Notes for 躂

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 躂 with similar-sounding words that convey different meanings, such as 踏 (tà), which means 'to step on.' This term is more commonly used in informal settings; in formal writing, you might prefer more standard terms for mistakes. Remember to use the correct tone; 'tà' is pronounced with a falling tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 躂 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to other words at HSK Level 2 and 3 that refer to movement and actions. Students should focus on recognizing the character's components and practicing its pronunciation to integrate it into discussions about activities and actions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 躂 with the character 跌 (diē), which also means to fall. For example, saying '我躂倒了' (wǒ tà dǎo le) instead of '我跌倒了' (wǒ diē dǎo le) would be incorrect, as the latter is the correct term for 'I fell.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 躂

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Etymology of 躂

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

foot

Semantic (meaning)足
+
Phonetic (sound)達
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 躂

  1. 1The meaning half足 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half達 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfoot
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 躂? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 躂?

Decomposition of 躂

IDS Structure⿰足達
躂Full Character
=
足ju4
left
達da2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 躂?

How to say to stumble, to slip in Chinese

“to stumble, to slip” in Chinese is躂tà

The character 躂 (tà) means 'to stumble' or 'to slip.' It is often used to describe the action of losing balance or tripping while walking. This word can be applied in both literal contexts, such as physically stumbling, and figurative contexts, such as making a mistake or error in judgment.

When to use 躂

Be careful not to confuse 躂 with similar-sounding words that convey different meanings, such as 踏 (tà), which means 'to step on.' This term is more commonly used in informal settings; in formal writing, you might prefer more standard terms for mistakes. Remember to use the correct tone; 'tà' is pronounced with a falling tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 躂 with the character 跌 (diē), which also means to fall. For example, saying '我躂倒了' (wǒ tà dǎo le) instead of '我跌倒了' (wǒ diē dǎo le) would be incorrect, as the latter is the correct term for 'I fell.'

Write 躂

躂

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

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Word Family of 躂

Words Containing This Character1
跶tàto slip躂
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 跶 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 躂

你在路上躂了一下，真是吓了我一跳！(You stumbled on the road, which really startled me!)

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