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取消 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
取消qǔxiāoto cancelHSK 4, v, rank #1461, Medium
取消qǔxiāocancellationHSK 4, v, rank #1461, Medium
qǔxiāo(qu3xiao1) T3
  1. 1to cancel
  2. 2cancellation
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March 24, 2026
取消qǔxiāo(qu3xiao1)

The verb 取消 (qǔxiāo) means 'to cancel' or 'to annul.' It is commonly used in contexts such as canceling appointments, reservations, or agreements. This term carries a sense of finality, indicating that something that was planned or scheduled will no longer take place.

Frequency#1461DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of canceling plans is often viewed with sensitivity, as maintaining relationships is important. It is considered polite to notify others as early as possible when a cancellation occurs to avoid inconvenience.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person holding a 'ticket' (the radical for canceling) and tearing it up, signaling the act of cancellation. The 'qǔ' sounds like 'cue,' as in a cue to stop, while 'xiāo' resembles 'show,' which you are canceling. Visualizing this ticket tearing helps connect the pronunciation to its meaning.

Meanings of 取消

qǔxiāo(qu3xiao1)
1to cancel
2cancellation
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About 取消

取消Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1461Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 取消

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Podcast: 取消

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AI Study Notes for 取消

Quick Contrast

撤销 (chèxiāo) - use 取消 (qǔxiāo) for cancellations that imply a final decision, while 撤销 (chèxiāo) suggests a retraction or reversal of a previous action.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person holding a 'ticket' (the radical for canceling) and tearing it up, signaling the act of cancellation. The 'qǔ' sounds like 'cue,' as in a cue to stop, while 'xiāo' resembles 'show,' which you are canceling. Visualizing this ticket tearing helps connect the pronunciation to its meaning.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 取消 with 终止 (zhōngzhǐ), which means 'to terminate' and implies stopping something that is already in progress. 取消 is more often used in everyday, informal contexts. Common collocations include 取消预约 (cancel an appointment) and 取消订单 (cancel an order).

HSK Study Tips

At HSK Level 5, students should focus on the context in which 取消 is used, as it often appears in discussions about travel, plans, and contracts. Connecting it to other verbs related to decisions, like 决定 (juédìng, to decide) can enhance understanding.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of canceling plans is often viewed with sensitivity, as maintaining relationships is important. It is considered polite to notify others as early as possible when a cancellation occurs to avoid inconvenience.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 取消 with 终止, thinking they can use them interchangeably. For instance, saying '我想终止我的预约' (Wǒ xiǎng zhōngzhǐ wǒ de yùyuē) is incorrect for an appointment; use 取消 instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 取消

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Component Characters

取qǔto take
HSK 48 strokes又
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消xiāoto disappear
HSK 710 strokes氵
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Write 取消

取
消

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Grammar Patterns of 取消

取消 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

由于天气不好，航班____了。

Due to bad weather, the flight was cancelled.

Example Sentences for 取消 (10)

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1
如果一班火车被取消，其连锁反应将是巨大的。

rú guǒ yī bān huǒ chē bèi qǔ xiāo， ， qí lián suǒ fǎn yīng jiāng shì jù dà。

The domino effect if one train is cancelled is enormous.
2
恶劣的天气已经导致这个连假周末数十个航班被取消。

è liè de tiān qì yǐ jīng dǎo zhì zhè gè lián jiǎ zhōu mò shù shí gè háng bān bèi qǔ xiāo。

Bad weather has caused dozens of flight cancellations over the holiday weekend.
3
所有飞往兰州的航班都已取消，何时恢复另行通知。

suǒ yǒu fēi wǎng lán zhōu de háng bān dū yǐ qǔ xiāo， ， hé shí huī fù lìng háng tōng。

All flights to Lanchow had been cancelled until further notice.
4
他太累了，不得不取消一些约会。

tā tài léi le， ， bù dé bù qǔ xiāo yī xiē yuē。

He had to cancel some engagements because of tiredness.
5
价格高出很多，所以我们决定将它取消。

jià gé gāo chū hěn duō， ， suǒ yǐ wǒ mén jué dìng jiāng tā qǔ。

The prices were much higher. So we decided to write that off.
6
如欲取消，请至少提前24小时告知。

rú yù qǔ xiāo， ， qǐng zhì shǎo tí24 qián 24 xiǎo shí。

We need at least 24 hours' notice of cancellation.
7
因为这个人失业, 地方议会决定取消其欠租.

yīn wéi zhè gè rén shī yè, , dì fāng yì huì jué dìng qǔ xiāo qí qiàn.

As the man was unemployed, the Council decided to write off the arrears of rent.
8
空缺的世界拳击理事会次轻量级头衔被取消了。

kōng quē de shì jiè quán jī lǐ shì huì cì qīng liáng jí tóu xián bèi qǔ xiāo le。

The vacant W.B.C. junior-lightweight title has been called off.
9
由于下雨，最后的7场比赛取消了5场。

yóu yú xià yǔ， ， zuì hòu7 de 7 cháng bǐ sài qǔ5 xiāo。

Rain washed out five of the last seven games.
10
当市场崩溃时，他们认为交易会被取消。

dāng shì cháng bēng kuì shí， ， tā mén rèn wéi jiāo yì huì bèi qǔ。

When the market crashed, they assumed the deal would be cancelled.

Cultural Notes for 取消

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of canceling plans is often viewed with sensitivity, as maintaining relationships is important. It is considered polite to notify others as early as possible when a cancellation occurs to avoid inconvenience.

Frequently Asked Questions about 取消

You can say '我想取消我的预约' (Wǒ xiǎng qǔxiāo wǒ de yùyuē), meaning 'I want to cancel my appointment.'