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墮 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
墮duòto drop, to fall, to sink; degeneratezg, 14 strokes, radical 土
duò(duo4)duo T4
  1. 1to drop, to fall, to sink; degenerate
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March 24, 2026

墮duò(duo4)

The character 墮 (duò) primarily means to drop, fall, or sink. It can also imply a sense of degeneration or decline, often used in contexts relating to moral or physical deterioration. This word can be used both literally, such as dropping an object, and metaphorically, such as one's character or situation deteriorating.

Strokes14Radical土
Cultural note

In Chinese literature and philosophy, the concept of moral decline is a significant theme, often reflected in historical texts that discuss the rise and fall of dynasties. The character 墮 is frequently used to critique societal and personal degeneration.

Memory tip

Imagine a heavy stone (the radical 土, meaning earth) dropping into a deep pit. The stone represents something 'sinking' or 'falling' into the earth, linking the idea of dropping and the character 墮. Remembering 'drop' can help with the pronunciation 'duò'.

Meanings of 墮

duò(duo4)
1to drop, to fall, to sink; degenerate
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 墮

墮Simplified
14Strokes
土Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 墮

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AI study notes for 墮

Quick Contrast

堕 (duò) vs 陷 (xiàn) — use 墮 (duò) for a sense of falling or sinking, while 陷 (xiàn) implies being trapped or stuck.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone, as 'duò' is pronounced with a falling tone, which can be confused with similar sounding words. It is generally used in more formal contexts when discussing moral or physical decline, so avoid using it too casually. Common collocations include 墮落 (duòluò, degenerate) and 墮胎 (duòtāi, abortion).

HSK Study Tips

Although not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, 墮 can help learners understand how certain characters are formed and used in compound words. Focus on recognizing its use in phrases related to moral decline or physical descent, as this is where it is most often encountered.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 墮 with similar sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 墮 in place of 陀 (tuó) which means 'to revolve' is a common mistake; remember that 墮 relates to dropping or falling.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 墮

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Etymology of 墮

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

Phonosemantic compound. 土 represents the meaning and 陏 represents the sound. Simplified form of 墮.

Memory hint

earth

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

Origin

墮 = 土 + 隋. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 墮

IDS Structure⿱隋土
墮Full character
=
隋Sui2
top
土Tu3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 墮?

How to say to drop, to fall, to sink; degenerate in Chinese

“to drop, to fall, to sink; degenerate” in Chinese is墮duò

The character 墮 (duò) primarily means to drop, fall, or sink. It can also imply a sense of degeneration or decline, often used in contexts relating to moral or physical deterioration. This word can be used both literally, such as dropping an object, and metaphorically, such as one's character or situation deteriorating.

When to use 墮

Be cautious with the tone, as 'duò' is pronounced with a falling tone, which can be confused with similar sounding words. It is generally used in more formal contexts when discussing moral or physical decline, so avoid using it too casually. Common collocations include 墮落 (duòluò, degenerate) and 墮胎 (duòtāi, abortion).

墮 or something close to it

堕 (duò) vs 陷 (xiàn) — use 墮 (duò) for a sense of falling or sinking, while 陷 (xiàn) implies being trapped or stuck.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 墮 with similar sounding characters, leading to incorrect usage. For example, using 墮 in place of 陀 (tuó) which means 'to revolve' is a common mistake; remember that 墮 relates to dropping or falling.

Write 墮

墮

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

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Word Family of 墮

Words containing this character5
堕落duòluòto degrade墮落
堕胎induced abortion墮胎
堕duòto fall墮
自甘堕落to let oneself go自甘墮落
如堕五里雾中in a fog如墮五里霧中
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 墮

What does 堕落 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 墮

Common phrases include 墮落 (duòluò, degenerate) and 墮胎 (duòtāi, abortion). These phrases highlight the character's association with decline.

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