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夲 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
夲tāoto advance quickly; to go back and forth; origin, sourcex, 5 strokes, radical 大
tāo(tao1) T1
  1. 1to advance quickly; to go back and forth; origin, source
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March 24, 2026

夲tāo(tao1)

The character 夲 (tāo) generally means to advance quickly or to move back and forth. It can also refer to the concept of origin or source, often indicating the starting point of something. This character may be used in contexts involving rapid movement or discussions about beginnings.

Strokes5Radical大
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese philosophy, the concept of origin is significant, often linked to discussions about lineage and heritage. The character 夲 reflects this cultural emphasis on understanding one's roots and the journey of life.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'tall' (sounds like 'tāo') person quickly advancing forward, and as they do, they trace back to their origins, represented by the character's form. The radical 夲 can evoke the image of a person on a journey, moving swiftly from place to place while always remembering where they came from.

Meanings of 夲

tāo(tao1)
1to advance quickly; to go back and forth; origin, source
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 夲

夲Simplified
5Strokes
大Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 夲

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Podcast: 夲

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AI Study Notes for 夲

Usage Notes

While 夲 is not commonly used in everyday speech, it might appear in literary or formal contexts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters like '逃' (táo), which means to escape. It’s important to maintain the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

This character is not part of the official HSK vocabulary lists, so learners should focus on understanding its usage in context rather than rote memorization. It connects with other characters that indicate movement or origin, enriching vocabulary related to travel and beginnings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 夲, mistakenly saying it with a different tone, leading to confusion with other words. For example, saying 'táo' instead of 'tāo' changes the meaning entirely.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 夲

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Etymology of 夲

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 夲

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

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Decomposition of 夲

IDS Structure⿱大十
夲Full Character
=
大da4
top
十shi2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 夲?

How to say to advance quickly; to go back and forth; origin, source in Chinese

“to advance quickly; to go back and forth; origin, source” in Chinese is夲tāo

The character 夲 (tāo) generally means to advance quickly or to move back and forth. It can also refer to the concept of origin or source, often indicating the starting point of something. This character may be used in contexts involving rapid movement or discussions about beginnings.

When to use 夲

While 夲 is not commonly used in everyday speech, it might appear in literary or formal contexts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar-sounding characters like '逃' (táo), which means to escape. It’s important to maintain the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 夲, mistakenly saying it with a different tone, leading to confusion with other words. For example, saying 'táo' instead of 'tāo' changes the meaning entirely.

Write 夲

夲

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 夲

In a sentence, 夲 can indicate a quick advance, such as '他夲到目的地' (He advanced quickly to the destination).

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