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滔 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
滔
tāo
overflow
z, 13 strokes, radical 氵, rank #29329, Very Hard
滔
tāo
torrent-dash
z, 13 strokes, radical 氵, rank #29329, Very Hard
滔
tāo
torrential, rushing, overflowing
z, 13 strokes, radical 氵, rank #29329, Very Hard
tāo(tao1)tao T1
1overflow
2torrent-dash
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March 24, 2026
滔tāo(tao1)
The character 滔 (tāo) means to overflow or to rush with great force, often used to describe torrents of water or a flood. It can also be applied metaphorically to express emotions or situations that are overwhelming or abundant. Common contexts include descriptions of rivers or heavy rain.
Strokes13Radical氵Frequency#29329DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese literature and poetry, the imagery of torrents and overflowing waters often symbolizes strong emotions or the passage of time, reflecting the deep connection between nature and human experience in Chinese culture.
Memory tip
Imagine a giant wave (the radical 水, which means water) crashing over a dam, representing the concept of overflow. The pronunciation 'tāo' sounds like 'towel,' which you would need if you got drenched by a sudden downpour or torrent!
Meanings of 滔
tāo(tao1)
1overflow
2torrent-dash
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 滔 means.
About 滔
滔Simplified
13Strokes
氵Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#29329Frequency Rank
Podcast: 滔
Podcast: 滔
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AI study notes for 滔
Quick Contrast
滔 (tāo) vs 泛 (fàn): Use 滔 for a strong, forceful overflow, while 泛 describes a gentler, more widespread surface flow.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 滔 with similar-sounding characters like 逃 (táo), which means to escape. 滔 is typically used in more formal contexts, especially in literature or news reports about natural disasters. It often collocates with words like '水' (water) or '潮' (tide).
HSK Study Tips
Although 滔 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to words at HSK level 3 and above that describe weather and nature, such as 雨 (yǔ, rain) or 洪水 (hóngshuǐ, flood). Focus on its usage in literary contexts to enhance vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 滔 with 逃 (táo), leading to sentences like '我想滔出这个地方' (I want to overflow out of this place) instead of '我想逃出这个地方' (I want to escape from this place). Always check the context to ensure the correct character is used.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 滔
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 滔 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
滔 = 氵 + 舀. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 滔
IDS Structure⿰氵舀
滔Full character
=
氵shui3
left
舀yao3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 滔?
How to say overflow in Chinese
“overflow” in Chinese is滔tāo
The character 滔 (tāo) means to overflow or to rush with great force, often used to describe torrents of water or a flood. It can also be applied metaphorically to express emotions or situations that are overwhelming or abundant. Common contexts include descriptions of rivers or heavy rain.
When to use 滔
Be careful not to confuse 滔 with similar-sounding characters like 逃 (táo), which means to escape. 滔 is typically used in more formal contexts, especially in literature or news reports about natural disasters. It often collocates with words like '水' (water) or '潮' (tide).
滔 or something close to it
滔 (tāo) vs 泛 (fàn): Use 滔 for a strong, forceful overflow, while 泛 describes a gentler, more widespread surface flow.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 滔 with 逃 (táo), leading to sentences like '我想滔出这个地方' (I want to overflow out of this place) instead of '我想逃出这个地方' (I want to escape from this place). Always check the context to ensure the correct character is used.
Write 滔
滔
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Practice writing 滔 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 滔
滔 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他犯下的____天罪行给她的生活蒙上了永久的阴影。
Her life has been per-manently blighted by his heinous crime.
Example sentences for 滔 (10)
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1
他犯下的滔天罪行给她的生活蒙上了永久的阴影。
tā fàn xià de tāo tiān zuì xíng gěi tā de shēnghuó mēng shàng le yǒngjiǔ de yīnyǐng。
Her life has been per-manently blighted by his heinous crime.
2
船员们在50节的大风与滔天巨浪中深陷困境。
chuányuán men zài50 jié de dàfēng yǔ tāo tiān jù làng zhōng shēn xiàn kùnjìng。
The crew are in serious trouble in 50-knot winds and huge seas.
3
大雨让河水滔滔不绝。
Dà yǔ ràng héshuǐ tāotāo bù jué.
The heavy rain made the river overflow continuously.
4
水从杯子里滔出来了。
Shuǐ cóng bēizi lǐ tāo chūlái le.
Water overflowed from the cup.
5
洪水滔过了堤坝。
Hóngshuǐ tāo guò le dībà.
The flood overflowed the levee.
6
水库的水位太高，开始滔出来了。
Shuǐkù de shuǐwèi tài gāo, kāishǐ tāo chūlái le.
The reservoir's water level is too high and it started to overflow.
7
雨下得很大，水从池塘里滔出来了。
Yǔ xià de hěn dà, shuǐ cóng chítáng lǐ tāo chūlái le.
The rain was so heavy that the water overflowed from the pond.
8
洗澡时，水不小心滔到了地上。
Xǐzǎo shí, shuǐ bù xiǎoxīn tāo dào le dì shàng.
While showering, the water accidentally overflowed onto the floor.
9
大雨持续了三天，河水终于滔过了桥面。
Dà yǔ chíxù le sān tiān, héshuǐ zhōngyú tāo guò le qiáomiàn.
The heavy rain lasted for three days, and the river finally overflowed the bridge.
10
水龙头坏了，水滔出了水槽。
Shuǐlóngtóu huài le, shuǐ tāo chū le shuǐcáo.
The faucet broke, and water overflowed from the sink.
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Word Family of 滔
Words containing this character5
滔滔不绝tāotāobùjuétalking non-stop滔滔不絕
滔滔tāotāotorrential
滔tāooverflow
罪恶滔天zuì’ètāotiānevil crimes fill heaven (idiom)罪惡滔天
黄滔huángtāoHuang Tao (840-911), late Tang poet黃滔
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 滔
What does 滔滔不绝 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 滔
It is pronounced as tāo, with a high level tone.
While it can be used, it is more commonly found in written language or formal contexts.
Synonyms include 溢 (yì, overflow) and 洪 (hóng, flood), which convey similar ideas of abundance.
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