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March 24, 2026
堕(墮)duò(duo4)
The character 堕 (duò) primarily means 'to fall' or 'to drop.' It can also imply a sense of degeneration or decline, often used in contexts relating to moral or physical deterioration. For example, it can describe a person or thing that has fallen from a previous state of excellence or stability.
Strokes11Radical土Frequency#20054DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese literature and philosophy, the concept of 'falling' often symbolizes a decline in virtue or moral integrity, reflecting traditional values that emphasize moral uprightness. This character may appear in discussions about societal issues or personal failures.
Memory Tip
Imagine a heavy stone (the radical 土, meaning 'earth') falling from a great height, creating a loud 'duò' sound as it hits the ground. This visual of falling connects both to the meaning of the character and its pronunciation.
Meanings of 堕
duò(duo4)
1to fall
2to degenerate
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 堕
堕Simplified
墮Traditional
11Strokes
土Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#20054Frequency Rank
Podcast: 堕
Podcast: 堕
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AI Study Notes for 堕
Quick Contrast
堕 (duò) vs 降 (jiàng) — use 堕 for moral or physical decline, while 降 emphasizes a downward movement or decrease in level.
Usage Notes
When using 堕, be mindful of its serious connotations, especially when discussing moral decline. It is more formal and should be used in contexts that warrant gravity, such as literature or serious discussions. A common mistake is to confuse it with 摔 (shuāi), which means 'to fall' but is used more casually.
HSK Study Tips
Although 堕 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with words like 降落 (jiàngluò, 'to land') and 下降 (xiàjiàng, 'to descend'), which are useful for learners at the intermediate level. Focus on understanding the contexts in which 堕 is used to grasp its nuanced meanings.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 堕 with 降 (jiàng), which means 'to lower' without the moral implications. For instance, using 堕 in a casual context may sound overly dramatic, such as saying '我堕了我的书' (wǒ duòle wǒ de shū, 'I dropped my book'). Instead, use 掉 (diào) for dropping objects.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 堕
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Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 陏 represents the sound. Simplified form of 墮.
1The meaning half土 carries the sense.
2The sound half陏 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 堕? 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 堕?
Decomposition of 堕
IDS Structure⿱陏土
堕Full Character
=
陏duo4
top
土Tu3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 堕?
How to say to fall in Chinese
“to fall” in Chinese is堕duò
The character 堕 (duò) primarily means 'to fall' or 'to drop.' It can also imply a sense of degeneration or decline, often used in contexts relating to moral or physical deterioration. For example, it can describe a person or thing that has fallen from a previous state of excellence or stability.
When to use 堕
When using 堕, be mindful of its serious connotations, especially when discussing moral decline. It is more formal and should be used in contexts that warrant gravity, such as literature or serious discussions. A common mistake is to confuse it with 摔 (shuāi), which means 'to fall' but is used more casually.
堕 or something close to it
堕 (duò) vs 降 (jiàng) — use 堕 for moral or physical decline, while 降 emphasizes a downward movement or decrease in level.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 堕 with 降 (jiàng), which means 'to lower' without the moral implications. For instance, using 堕 in a casual context may sound overly dramatic, such as saying '我堕了我的书' (wǒ duòle wǒ de shū, 'I dropped my book'). Instead, use 掉 (diào) for dropping objects.
Write 堕
堕
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Grammar Patterns of 堕
堕 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 3 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
反____胎者所作的加强法规的尝试失败了。
An attempt by anti-abortionists to tighten the rules was defeated.
Example Sentences for 堕 (10)
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1
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.
2
贝内特发起了一场捍卫“道德价值”、反对腐朽堕落的“自由相对论”的战争。
bèi nèi tè fā qǐ le yī cháng hàn wèi“ “ dào dé jià”、 zhí ”、 fǎn duì fǔ xiǔ duò“ luò de “ zì yóu” xiāng duì lùn。
Bennett launched a crusade for "moral values" against decadent "liberal relativism."
3
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.
4
国王的立场必然会再次引发关于堕胎的令人头痛的辩论。
guó wáng de lì cháng bì rán huì zài cì yǐn fā guān yú duò tāi de líng rén tóu tòng de biàn lùn。
The King's stand is bound to reawaken the painful debate about abortion.
5
他们说将会往法院中安排一些反对堕胎的法官。
tā mén shuō jiāng huì wǎng fǎ yuàn zhōng ān pái yī xiē fǎn duì duò tāi de fǎ guān。
They said they were going to stack the court with anti-abortion judges.
