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嗒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
嗒
tà
absent-minded
o, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #7337, Hard
嗒
tà
to despair
unknown, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #7337, Hard
嗒
dā
absent-minded
o, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #7337, Hard
嗒
dā
to despair
unknown, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #7337, Hard
dā(da1)da
primary
T1
1absent-minded
2to despair
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
嗒dā(da1)
The character 嗒 (dā) often conveys feelings of being absent-minded or in despair. It can describe a state where someone is lost in thought or feeling hopeless, commonly used in expressions related to emotional distress or distraction.
Strokes12Radical口Frequency#7337DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, expressing feelings of despair or distraction is often tied to the high value placed on mental well-being. The concept of being 'lost in thought' is prevalent in traditional poetry, reflecting deeper emotional states.
Memory tip
Imagine a person sitting quietly, lost in thought, with a sigh escaping their lips, sounding like 'dā'. The character 嗒 has the radical '口' (mouth), suggesting the vocal expression of despair or distraction, depicting the sound of a sigh or 'dā'.
Meanings of 嗒
dā(da1)
primary
1absent-minded
2to despair
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 嗒 means.
About 嗒
嗒Simplified
12Strokes
口Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 嗒
Podcast: 嗒
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AI study notes for 嗒
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 嗒 (dā), as it can easily be confused with other characters. It's more commonly used in informal settings, particularly in literature or conversation expressing frustration or distraction. Common collocations include phrases related to emotional states.
HSK Study Tips
Though not included in HSK levels, understanding 嗒 can enhance your grasp of emotional vocabulary. Focus on its use in context with other words describing feelings, as it can help build a more nuanced emotional vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 嗒 (dā) with similar-sounding characters, like 达 (dá), which means to reach or attain. Remember that 嗒 specifically relates to feelings of distraction or despair.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 嗒
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Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 嗒 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.
嗒 = 口 + 荅. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 嗒
IDS Structure⿰口荅
嗒Full character
=
口kou3
left
荅da1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 嗒?
How to say absent-minded in Chinese
“absent-minded” in Chinese is嗒tà
The character 嗒 (dā) often conveys feelings of being absent-minded or in despair. It can describe a state where someone is lost in thought or feeling hopeless, commonly used in expressions related to emotional distress or distraction.
When to use 嗒
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 嗒 (dā), as it can easily be confused with other characters. It's more commonly used in informal settings, particularly in literature or conversation expressing frustration or distraction. Common collocations include phrases related to emotional states.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 嗒 (dā) with similar-sounding characters, like 达 (dá), which means to reach or attain. Remember that 嗒 specifically relates to feelings of distraction or despair.
Write 嗒
嗒
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Practice writing 嗒 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 嗒
嗒 functions as an onomatopoeic word — it imitates a sound. It often functions as an adverbial or stand-alone exclamation rather than a true verb or noun. It carries 2 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
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他听见从远处什么地方传来打字机的____嗒声。
From somewhere distant he heard the clatter of a typewriter.
Example sentences for 嗒 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他听见从远处什么地方传来打字机的嗒嗒声。
tā tīngjiàn cóng yuǎnchù shénme dìfang chuánlái dǎ zì Jī de dā dā shēng。
From somewhere distant he heard the clatter of a typewriter.
2
一只上了弦的钟在厨房的案子上嘀嗒响个不停。
yī zhī shàng le xián de zhōng zài chúfáng de àn zi shàng dí dā xiǎng gè bùtíng。
A wind-up clock ticked busily from the kitchen counter.
3
又一滴水嘀嗒一声落下。
yòu yī dī shuǐ dí dā yī shēng luòxià。
Another drop of water fell with a soft plop.
4
他坐在那儿，听着落地式大摆钟嘀嗒作响。
tā zuò zài nàr， tīng zhuóluò dì shì dà bǎi zhōng dí dā zuō xiǎng。
He sat listening to the tick of the grandfather clock.
5
我给表上紧发条，听着它嘀嗒作响。
wǒ gěi biǎo shàng jǐn fā tiáo， tīng zhe tā dí dā zuō xiǎng。
I wound up the watch and listened to it tick.
6
马刀在刀鞘里咔嗒作响，骑手催马向前。
mǎ dāo zài dāo qiào lǐ kā dā zuō xiǎng， qíshǒu cuī mǎ xiàngqián。
Sabres rasped from scabbards and the horsemen spurred forward.
jiáo jiàn de zìxíngchē shǒu men fēnfēn qíchē chōng chū qǐ pǎo mén， tūrán sū gé lán xuǎnshǒu de zuǒ jiǎo kā dā yī shēng cǎi kōng le tà bǎn， guānzhòng bùjīn dào chōu le yī kǒu lěngqì。
As the gladiators rolled away from the starting gates, a gasp went up when the Scottish cyclist's left foot clicked out of the pedal.
8
他吧嗒两下嘴,一声也不言语.
tā ba dā liǎng xià zuǐ, yī shēng yě bù yányǔ.
He smacked his lips but did not utter a word.
9
他向上指着屋顶，透过这里可以听见雨点嘀嘀嗒嗒落个不停。
tā xiàngshàng zhǐzhe wūdǐng， tòuguò zhèlǐ kěyǐ tīngjiàn yǔ diǎn dí dí dā dā là gè bùtíng。
He pointed up to the roof, through which the steady drumming of rain could be heard.
10
他听到时钟有规律的滴嗒声.
tā tīngdào shí zhōng yǒu guīlǜ de dī dā shēng.
He heard the regular noise of the clock.
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Word Family of 嗒
Words containing this character4
嗒dāto despair
嘀嗒dīdā(onom.) tick tock
咔嗒kādāclatter
吧嗒bādato smack one's lips
Exercise 1 of 3
Words with 嗒
What does 嘀嗒 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 嗒
You might encounter phrases like '心里嗒嗒的' (xīn lǐ dā dā de), which describes a feeling of unease or distraction.
No, 嗒 is primarily used in informal contexts or spoken language, making it less suitable for formal writing.
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