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蹚 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
蹚tāngto trample, to wade; muddy, wetzg, 18 strokes, radical 足, rank #35714, Very Hard
tāng(tang1)tang T1
  1. 1to trample, to wade; muddy, wet
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March 24, 2026

蹚tāng(tang1)

The character 蹚 (tāng) means to trample or to wade through something, often referring to moving through water or mud. It conveys the idea of stepping into a messy or wet environment, typically with a sense of effort or disturbance. This character is commonly used in contexts involving walking through muddy terrains or water bodies.

Strokes18Radical足Frequency#35714DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In rural China, wading through muddy fields is a common experience during rice planting season, making this word particularly relevant in agricultural contexts. It reflects the relationship between people and the land in traditional Chinese culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a person named Tang who is trying to cross a muddy field. As he steps through the mud, he makes a splashing sound. The shape of the character 蹚 resembles a foot (走) stepping through a messy area, helping you remember its meaning and pronunciation.

Meanings of 蹚

tāng(tang1)
1to trample, to wade; muddy, wet
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 蹚 means.

About 蹚

蹚Simplified
18Strokes
足Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 蹚

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Podcast: 蹚

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AI study notes for 蹚

Quick Contrast

踏 (tà) vs 踏 (tà) — use 蹚 when emphasizing the act of wading through something messy, while 踏 conveys a more general sense of stepping or treading.

Usage Notes

When using 蹚, be cautious about its context, as it can imply a negative connotation when referring to something being trampled. It's more informal and might not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 蹚水 (wade in water) and 蹚泥 (trample in mud).

HSK Study Tips

While 蹚 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 3 words related to movement, like 走 (zǒu, to walk) and 跑 (pǎo, to run). Students should focus on the radicals and components, particularly the foot radical (足) that links to actions involving movement.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 蹚 with 走 and use it inappropriately in formal contexts. For example, saying 蹚去学校 (tāng qù xuéxiào) instead of 走去学校 (zǒu qù xuéxiào) is incorrect, as 蹚 should not be used for simply going to school.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 蹚

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Etymology of 蹚

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory hint

foot

Semantic (meaning)足
+
Phonetic (sound)堂
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

蹚 = 足 + 堂. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 蹚

IDS Structure⿰足堂
蹚Full character
=
足ju4
left
堂tang2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 蹚?

How to say to trample, to wade; muddy, wet in Chinese

“to trample, to wade; muddy, wet” in Chinese is蹚tāng

The character 蹚 (tāng) means to trample or to wade through something, often referring to moving through water or mud. It conveys the idea of stepping into a messy or wet environment, typically with a sense of effort or disturbance. This character is commonly used in contexts involving walking through muddy terrains or water bodies.

When to use 蹚

When using 蹚, be cautious about its context, as it can imply a negative connotation when referring to something being trampled. It's more informal and might not be suitable for formal writing. Common collocations include 蹚水 (wade in water) and 蹚泥 (trample in mud).

蹚 or something close to it

踏 (tà) vs 踏 (tà) — use 蹚 when emphasizing the act of wading through something messy, while 踏 conveys a more general sense of stepping or treading.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 蹚 with 走 and use it inappropriately in formal contexts. For example, saying 蹚去学校 (tāng qù xuéxiào) instead of 走去学校 (zǒu qù xuéxiào) is incorrect, as 蹚 should not be used for simply going to school.

Write 蹚

蹚

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

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Grammar patterns of 蹚

蹚 carries one core meaning. 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 2

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他____进水里把船推出来。

He waded into the water to push the boat out.

Example sentences for 蹚 (1)

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1
他蹚进水里把船推出来。

tā tāng jìn shuǐ lǐ bǎ chuán tuīchū lái。

He waded into the water to push the boat out.

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Word Family of 蹚

Words containing this character1
蹚tāngto wade

Frequently asked questions about 蹚

蹚 specifically refers to moving through muddy or wet conditions, while 走 is a general term for walking.

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