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隊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
隊duìteam, group, band, army unit; measure word for groups of peoplex, 11 strokes, radical 阝
duì(dui4)dui T4
  1. 1team, group, band, army unit; measure word for groups of people
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March 24, 2026

隊duì(dui4)

The character 隊 (duì) refers to a team, group, or band, often used to describe organized units such as sports teams or military groups. It can also function as a measure word for groups of people, highlighting the collective aspect of the noun it describes.

Strokes11Radical阝
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, team spirit is highly valued, especially in collective activities such as sports or community events. The concept of teamwork and cooperation is often emphasized in educational settings, reflecting societal values.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 隊 as a 'duet' of individuals coming together as a team. The left part, 隹, looks like a bird, symbolizing unity and flight, while the right part, 队, resembles a formation, reinforcing the idea of people coming together in a structured group.

Meanings of 隊

duì(dui4)
1team, group, band, army unit; measure word for groups of people
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 隊 means.

About 隊

隊Simplified
11Strokes
阝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 隊

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Podcast: 隊

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AI Study Notes for 隊

Quick Contrast

队 (duì) vs 组 (zǔ) — use 隊 for organized groups like teams, while 组 is more general for any collection or set.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 隊 (duì) with related words like 组 (zǔ, group) or 队伍 (duìwǔ, troops), which can lead to misuse in context. This word is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful of the tone when discussing teams in competitive settings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 隊 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it is important for learners at HSK 3 and above, particularly when discussing activities involving groups. Students should focus on its use in context and familiarize themselves with related vocabulary like 运动队 (yùndòngduì, sports team).

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 隊 in contexts where a more general term like 组 would be appropriate. For example, saying '一队学生' (yī duì xuéshēng) is correct for 'a group of students,' while '一组学生' (yī zǔ xuéshēng) could be used for more casual references.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 隊

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Etymology of 隊

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Simplified form of 隊. Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 㒸 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

place

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

Origin

隊 = 阝 + 㒸. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 隊

IDS Structure⿰阝㒸
隊Full Character
=
阝yi4
left
㒸sui4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 隊?

How to say team, group, band, army unit; measure word for groups of people in Chinese

“team, group, band, army unit; measure word for groups of people” in Chinese is隊duì

The character 隊 (duì) refers to a team, group, or band, often used to describe organized units such as sports teams or military groups. It can also function as a measure word for groups of people, highlighting the collective aspect of the noun it describes.

When to use 隊

Common mistakes include confusing 隊 (duì) with related words like 组 (zǔ, group) or 队伍 (duìwǔ, troops), which can lead to misuse in context. This word is generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but be mindful of the tone when discussing teams in competitive settings.

隊 or something close to it

队 (duì) vs 组 (zǔ) — use 隊 for organized groups like teams, while 组 is more general for any collection or set.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 隊 in contexts where a more general term like 组 would be appropriate. For example, saying '一队学生' (yī duì xuéshēng) is correct for 'a group of students,' while '一组学生' (yī zǔ xuéshēng) could be used for more casual references.

Write 隊

隊

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

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Cultural Notes for 隊

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, individualism is often prioritized over collectivism, whereas Chinese culture places a strong emphasis on group harmony and teamwork.

Word Family of 隊

Words Containing This Character20
队duìteam隊
队伍duìwuranks隊伍
队员duìyuánteam member隊員
军队jūnduìarmy軍隊
部队bùduìarmy部隊
球队qiúduìsports team (basketball, soccer, football etc)球隊
乐队yuèduìband樂隊
团队tuánduìteam團隊
队长duìzhǎngcaptain隊長
大队dàduìgroup大隊
排队páiduìto line up排隊
国家队the national team國家隊
队友teammate隊友
车队motorcade車隊
舰队fleet艦隊
啦啦队lālāduìcheerleading squad啦啦隊
支队detachment (of troops)支隊
生产队production team生產隊
领队lǐngduìto lead a group領隊
主队host side主隊
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 隊

What does 队 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 隊

隊 (duì) refers to a team or organized unit, while 组 (zǔ) is more general and can refer to any group, not necessarily organized for a specific purpose.

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