HSK 7, unknown, 9 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #7045, Hard
tāi(tai1) T1
1fetus
2litter
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
胎tāi(tai1)
The character 胎 (tāi) primarily refers to a fetus or embryo in the context of pregnancy. It can also denote a litter of animals or a tire, particularly in automotive contexts. Understanding its various meanings can aid in recognizing it in medical, biological, and everyday conversations.
Strokes9Radical⺼Frequency#7045DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of胎 (fetus) is significant in discussions about family planning and childbearing, reflecting traditional values around family and lineage. Additionally, the term for tire (轮胎) is essential in a country with a booming automotive industry.
Memory Tip
Imagine a baby (胎) inside a cozy tire (轮胎) to remember that 胎 relates to both fetuses and tires. The character has a 'baby' (胎) shape, and the sound 'tāi' is like 'tie,' tying together the concepts of new life and mobility.
Meanings of 胎
tāi(tai1)
1fetus
2litter
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 胎
胎Simplified
9Strokes
⺼Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#7045Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 胎
Podcast: 胎
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 胎
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a baby (胎) inside a cozy tire (轮胎) to remember that 胎 relates to both fetuses and tires. The character has a 'baby' (胎) shape, and the sound 'tāi' is like 'tie,' tying together the concepts of new life and mobility.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 胎 with similar sounding words; for example, it is distinct from 体 (tǐ), meaning body. This term is generally used in more formal contexts when discussing pregnancy or animals. It can appear in phrases like 胎儿 (tāi'ér) for 'fetus' or 轮胎 (lún tāi) for 'tire.'
HSK Study Tips
While 胎 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it connects to Level 3 terms like 体 (tǐ) and 产 (chǎn), both related to life and birth. Students should focus on pronunciation and recognizing its usage in compound words.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of胎 (fetus) is significant in discussions about family planning and childbearing, reflecting traditional values around family and lineage. Additionally, the term for tire (轮胎) is essential in a country with a booming automotive industry.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 胎 with other characters that sound similar, such as 体 (tǐ). For example, saying '胎体' instead of just 胎 when referring to a fetus is incorrect; it should be simply 胎儿 (tāi'ér).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 胎
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 胎 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 胎 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 胎
胎 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 7 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
除了给轮____充气外，我没做过任何汽车保养。
Other than blowing up a tyre I hadn't done any car maintenance.
Example Sentences for 胎 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
除了给轮胎充气外，我没做过任何汽车保养。
chú le gěi lún tāi chōng qì wài， ， wǒ méi zuò guò rèn hé qì chē bǎo。
Other than blowing up a tyre I hadn't done any car maintenance.
2
反堕胎者所作的加强法规的尝试失败了。
fǎn duò tāi zhě suǒ zuò de jiā qiáng fǎ guī de cháng shì shī bài le。
An attempt by anti-abortionists to tighten the rules was defeated.
3
这一新技术已经被用来鉴别胎儿的性别。
zhè yī xīn jì shù yǐ jīng bèi yòng lái jiàn bié tāi ér de xìng bié。
The new technique has been used to identify the sex of foetuses.
A lorry travelling south had a blow-out and crashed.
6
为避免相撞而刹车时，他听到了轮胎与地面刺耳的摩擦声。
wéi bì miǎn xiāng zhuàng ér chà chē shí， ， tā tīng dào le lún tāi yǔ dì miàn cì ěr de mó cā。
He heard tires squeal as the car braked to avoid a collision.
7
这种宽大的轮胎有很深的胎面花纹。
zhè zhǒng kuān dà de lún tāi yǒu hěn shēn de tāi miàn huā wén。
The fat, broad tyres had a good depth of tread.
8
乔安妮的发际线旁有个小小的深色胎记。
qiáo ān nī de fā jì xiàn páng yǒu gè xiǎo xiǎo de shēn sè tāi jì。
Joanne had a small dark birthmark near her hairline.
9
一只轮胎被扎破后，他的车翻了个底朝天。
yī zhī lún tāi bèi zā pò hòu， ， tā de chē fān le gè dǐ zhāo。
His car rolled over after a tyre was punctured.
10
她对堕胎和女权主义的反对态度表明她是个不折不扣的传统主义者。
tā duì duò tāi hé nǚ quán zhǔ yì de fǎn duì tài dù biǎo míng tā shì gè bù zhē bù kòu de chuán tǒng zhǔ yì zhě。
Her opposition to abortion and feminism mark her as a convinced traditionalist.
Cultural Notes for 胎
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of胎 (fetus) is significant in discussions about family planning and childbearing, reflecting traditional values around family and lineage. Additionally, the term for tire (轮胎) is essential in a country with a booming automotive industry.
Word Family of 胎
Words Containing This Character20
轮胎lúntāitire輪胎
胎tāifetus
双胞胎shuāngbāotāitwin雙胞胎
胎儿tāi’érfetus胎兒
怪胎freak
胚胎pēitāiembryo
堕胎induced abortion墮胎
胎盘placenta胎盤
脱胎换骨to turn over a new leaf脫胎換骨
投胎to be reincarnated
车胎tire車胎
胎记birthmark胎記
怀胎to become pregnant懷胎
娘胎womb
备胎spare tire備胎
胎动fetal movement胎動
脱胎to be born脫胎
胎教prenatal education
打胎to have an abortion
畸胎瘤teratoma (medicine)
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 轮胎 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 胎
The correct pronunciation is tāi, with a high-level tone.
It is more commonly used in formal contexts, especially in medical or technical discussions.
Common phrases include 胎儿 (tāi'ér) for 'fetus' and 轮胎 (lún tāi) for 'tire'.
