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卸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
卸xièto unloadHSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 卩, rank #7335, Very Hard
卸xièto unhitchHSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 卩, rank #7335, Very Hard
卸xièto remove or stripHSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 卩, rank #7335, Very Hard
卸xièto get rid ofHSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 卩, rank #7335, Very Hard
卸xièto unload; to lay down; to resignHSK 7, v, 9 strokes, radical 卩, rank #7335, Very Hard
xiè(xie4) T4
  1. 1to unload
  2. 2to unhitch
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

卸xiè(xie4)

The character 卸 (xiè) primarily means 'to unload' or 'to remove.' It is commonly used in contexts involving the unloading of goods from vehicles or the removal of items from their original position. Additionally, it can also refer to resigning from a position or getting rid of something, which introduces a subtle nuance of letting go or releasing.

Strokes9Radical卩Frequency#7335DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the unloading of goods signifies not just physical labor but also the beginning of a new phase. For example, unloading during festivals often represents the clearing of old to make way for new blessings.

Memory Tip

Imagine a heavy load on a cart that needs to be 'unloaded' (xiè). The character 卸 looks like a person lifting something heavy off their back, symbolizing the act of unloading. You can remember 'xiè' by thinking of 'shedding' weight, making it easier to move forward.

Meanings of 卸

xiè(xie4)
1to unload
2to unhitch
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 卸

卸Simplified
9Strokes
卩Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#7335Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 卸

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Podcast: 卸

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 卸

Quick Contrast

卸 (xiè) vs 拆 (chāi): Use 卸 when referring to unloading or removing items, while 拆 is specifically for taking apart or dismantling something.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 卸 (xiè) with similar verbs like 拿 (ná - to take) or 取 (qǔ - to fetch), which can lead to awkward phrasing. This word is generally informal but can be used in formal contexts when discussing logistics or responsibilities. Be cautious of the tone; the fourth tone can be easily mispronounced.

HSK Study Tips

While 卸 is not specifically listed in the HSK levels, it connects well with other verbs related to action and movement, such as 搬 (bān - to move). Focus on practicing the context in which it is used, especially in phrases related to unloading or removing items.

Common Mistakes

Learners may say 卸掉 (xiè diào) when they mean to say 卸 (xiè) alone, as they confuse the necessity of the additional character. For example, they might say '我要卸掉这箱子' (I want to unload this box) instead of just '我要卸这箱子.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 卸

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Etymology of 卸

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

stop

Semantic (meaning)止
+
Phonetic (sound)卩
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 卸

  1. 1The meaning half止 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half卩 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaystop
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 卸? 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 卸?

Decomposition of 卸

IDS Structure⿰⿱午止卩
卸Full Character
=
午wu3
top
止zhi3
bottom
卩jie2
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 卸?

How to say to unload in Chinese

“to unload” in Chinese is卸xiè

The character 卸 (xiè) primarily means 'to unload' or 'to remove.' It is commonly used in contexts involving the unloading of goods from vehicles or the removal of items from their original position. Additionally, it can also refer to resigning from a position or getting rid of something, which introduces a subtle nuance of letting go or releasing.

When to use 卸

Learners often confuse 卸 (xiè) with similar verbs like 拿 (ná - to take) or 取 (qǔ - to fetch), which can lead to awkward phrasing. This word is generally informal but can be used in formal contexts when discussing logistics or responsibilities. Be cautious of the tone; the fourth tone can be easily mispronounced.

卸 or something close to it

卸 (xiè) vs 拆 (chāi): Use 卸 when referring to unloading or removing items, while 拆 is specifically for taking apart or dismantling something.

What learners get wrong

Learners may say 卸掉 (xiè diào) when they mean to say 卸 (xiè) alone, as they confuse the necessity of the additional character. For example, they might say '我要卸掉这箱子' (I want to unload this box) instead of just '我要卸这箱子.'

Write 卸

卸

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 卸

卸 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 5 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

自动曝光按钮安装在镜头脱____按钮下面,十分不便。

The autoexposure button is awkwardly placed under the lens release button.

Example Sentences for 卸 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
自动曝光按钮安装在镜头脱卸按钮下面,十分不便。

zì dòng pù guāng àn niǔ ān zhuāng zài jìng tóu tuō xiè àn niǔ xià miàn, , shí fēn bù。

The autoexposure button is awkwardly placed under the lens release button.
2
有300个铁路货车车厢等着卸货。

yǒu300 300 gè tiě lù huò chē chē xiāng děng zháo xiè。

Three-hundred railway wagons were waiting to be unloaded.
3
有人举报说他们正在从满满当当的卡车上卸洗劫来的家具。

yǒu rén jǔ bào shuō tā mén zhèng zài cóng mǎn mǎn dāng dāng de kǎ chē shàng xiè xǐ jié lái de jiā jù。

They were reported to be unloading trucks filled with looted furniture.
4
该设备被拆卸成几部分送下了井。

gāi shè bèi bèi chāi xiè chéng jī bù fēn sòng xià le jǐng。

The equipment was taken down the shaft in pieces.
5
先松开螺母,然后卸下车轮。

xiān sōng kāi luó mǔ, , rán hòu xiè xià chē。

First loosen the nuts, then take off the wheel.
6
警察很幸运,比我先找到了他。不然我真会把他大卸八块的。

jǐng chá hěn xìng yùn, , bǐ wǒ xiān zhǎo dào le。 tā 。 bù rán wǒ zhēn huì bǎ tā dà xiè bā。

The police were lucky they found him before I did. I would have torn him limb from limb.
7
船只必须在指定的港口把捕到的鱼卸下。

chuán zhī bì xū zài zhǐ dìng de gǎng kǒu bǎ bǔ dào de yú xiè xià。

The vessels will have to land their catch at designated ports.
8
如果不喜欢这个程序,把它卸载不用就行了。

rú guǒ bù xǐ huān zhè gè chéng xù, , bǎ tā xiè zǎi bù yòng jiù háng。

If you don't like the program, just uninstall it and forget it.
9
这种包有可拆卸的带子.

zhè zhǒng bāo yǒu kě chāi xiè de dài zǐ.

The bag comes with detachable straps.
10
把所有东西从船上卸下来,然后把船彻底清理一下。

bǎ suǒ yǒu dōng xī cóng chuán shàng xiè xià lái, , rán hòu bǎ chuán chè dǐ qīng lǐ yī。

Unload everything from the boat and clean it thoroughly.

Word Family of 卸

Compounds2
御yu4to resist
啣
Words Containing This Character16
卸xièto unload
卸下to unload
推卸tuīxièto shift (the blame)
卸妆to remove makeup卸妝
装卸zhuāngxièto transfer裝卸
卸货to unload卸貨
拆卸to unload
卸任to leave office
卸载to disembark卸載
装卸工docker裝卸工
脱卸to shirk脫卸
卸装to unmount卸裝
卸职to resign from office卸職
卸磨杀驴to get rid of sb once he has ceased to be useful卸磨殺驢
交卸to hand over to a successor
倒戈卸甲to lay down arms
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 御 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 卸

No, 卸 can also refer to removing or resigning from responsibilities, not just physical objects.

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