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March 24, 2026
汰tài(tai4)
The character 汰 (tài) primarily means to discard or eliminate something, often in the context of cleaning or washing out. It can also imply an excess of something that needs to be removed or scoured away, making it relevant in discussions about cleanliness or excess in various contexts.
Strokes7Radical氵Frequency#36820DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, maintaining cleanliness is highly valued, and the concept of 汰 can be seen in practices like spring cleaning, where people eliminate old items to welcome the new season.
Memory Tip
Imagine a large pot (the radical '水' for water) that is filled to the brim with dirty water. To keep things clean, you must 汰 (tài) the water out, discarding what is no longer needed. Visualize the action of pouring out the excess water to remember both the meaning and pronunciation.
Meanings of 汰
tài(tai4)
1to discard
2to eliminate
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 汰
汰Simplified
7Strokes
氵Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#36820Frequency Rank
Podcast: 汰
Podcast: 汰
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AI Study Notes for 汰
Quick Contrast
淘 (táo) - use 汰 when referring specifically to the act of discarding or eliminating something, while 淘 emphasizes the act of washing or sifting through to clean or select.
Usage Notes
汰 is often used in more formal contexts, such as in discussions about waste management or hygiene. Common collocations include 汰旧换新 (tài jiù huàn xīn), meaning 'to eliminate the old and replace it with the new'. Be careful with the tone, as mispronouncing it as 'tāi' could lead to confusion.
HSK Study Tips
Although 汰 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with related verbs and actions regarding cleaning and elimination seen in HSK levels 3 and 4. Focus on understanding its usage in phrases related to cleanliness and maintenance.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 汰 with similar-sounding characters like 泰 (tài), which means 'peaceful' or 'great.' A common mistake would be saying 汰 for 泰 in a context discussing tranquility, which would be incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 汰
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 太 represents the sound.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half太 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 汰? 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 汰?
Decomposition of 汰
IDS Structure⿰氵太
汰Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
太tai4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 汰?
How to say to discard in Chinese
“to discard” in Chinese is汰tài
The character 汰 (tài) primarily means to discard or eliminate something, often in the context of cleaning or washing out. It can also imply an excess of something that needs to be removed or scoured away, making it relevant in discussions about cleanliness or excess in various contexts.
When to use 汰
汰 is often used in more formal contexts, such as in discussions about waste management or hygiene. Common collocations include 汰旧换新 (tài jiù huàn xīn), meaning 'to eliminate the old and replace it with the new'. Be careful with the tone, as mispronouncing it as 'tāi' could lead to confusion.
汰 or something close to it
淘 (táo) - use 汰 when referring specifically to the act of discarding or eliminating something, while 淘 emphasizes the act of washing or sifting through to clean or select.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 汰 with similar-sounding characters like 泰 (tài), which means 'peaceful' or 'great.' A common mistake would be saying 汰 for 泰 in a context discussing tranquility, which would be incorrect.
Write 汰
汰
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Practice writing 汰 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 汰
汰 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
在新闻部员工中已经在转发一封电子邮件,呼吁大家自愿裁____.
An e-mail is already circulating amongst news staff calling for voluntary redundancies.
