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讹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
éto swindle, to cheat; wrong, error; falsehoodv, 6 strokes, radical 讠, rank #49243, Very Hard
éfalseunknown, 6 strokes, radical 讠, rank #49243, Very Hard
éto extortunknown, 6 strokes, radical 讠, rank #49243, Very Hard
é(e2) T2
  1. 1to swindle, to cheat; wrong, error; falsehood
  2. 2false
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March 24, 2026
(訛)é(e2)

The character 讹 (é) primarily means 'to swindle' or 'to cheat,' often in the context of deceitful behavior in financial transactions or agreements. It can also refer to an error or falsehood, indicating something that is incorrect or misleading. This word is commonly used in discussions related to fraud or dishonesty.

Strokes6RadicalFrequency#49243DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In China, the concept of being swindled or cheated is particularly relevant in the context of online transactions and marketplaces, where scams can be prevalent. Understanding this term can help learners navigate these situations more safely.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sly fox (the shape of 讹) wearing a mask, tricking others into giving it their food (representing swindling). The '耳' (ear) component suggests listening to deceitful whispers, while the '言' (speech) part hints at the lies told by the fox.

Meanings of 讹

é(e2)
1to swindle, to cheat; wrong, error; falsehood
2false
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 讹

Simplified
Traditional
6Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 讹

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AI Study Notes for 讹

Quick Contrast

诈 (zhà) - use 讹 when emphasizing the act of swindling or cheating, while 诈 focuses more on deception or trickery.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a sly fox (the shape of 讹) wearing a mask, tricking others into giving it their food (representing swindling). The '耳' (ear) component suggests listening to deceitful whispers, while the '言' (speech) part hints at the lies told by the fox.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 讹 with similar-sounding words like 额 (é), which means 'amount' or 'quota.' This word is more commonly used in informal contexts, particularly in conversations about scams. Be careful with the tone; ensure to use the second tone (é) to convey the correct meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Though 讹 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 4 words related to deception and communication, like 骗 (piàn, to deceive) and 错 (cuò, wrong). Focus on the nuances of how dishonesty is expressed in Mandarin.

Cultural Note

In China, the concept of being swindled or cheated is particularly relevant in the context of online transactions and marketplaces, where scams can be prevalent. Understanding this term can help learners navigate these situations more safely.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 讹 with 讹诈 (ézhà), which is a more formal term for extortion. For example, saying '他讹诈了我' (Tā ézhà le wǒ) can be incorrect if the intended meaning was simply 'he swindled me.' Instead, use '他讹了我' (Tā é le wǒ).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 讹

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Etymology of 讹

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 化 represents the sound. Simplified form of 訛.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 讹?

Decomposition of 讹

IDS Structure⿰讠化
Full Character
=
yan2
left
hua1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 讹?

Write 讹

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

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Grammar Patterns of 讹

讹 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 3 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 1

Complete the Sentence

家族管理可以防止任何恶意收购或绿票____诈的企图。

Family control would prevent any hostile takeover or greenmail attempt.

Example Sentences for 讹 (1)

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1
家族管理可以防止任何恶意收购或绿票讹诈的企图。

jiā zú guǎn lǐ kě yǐ fáng zhǐ rèn hé è yì shōu gòu huò lǜ piào é zhà de qǐ tú。

Family control would prevent any hostile takeover or greenmail attempt.

Cultural Notes for 讹

🏮Cultural insight

In China, the concept of being swindled or cheated is particularly relevant in the context of online transactions and marketplaces, where scams can be prevalent. Understanding this term can help learners navigate these situations more safely.

Word Family of 讹

Words Containing This Character8
讹诈ézhàto blackmail訛詐
éerror
以讹传讹to spread falsehoods以訛傳訛
讹传unfounded rumor訛傳
讹误error in a text訛誤
讹人to blackmail訛人
讹谬error訛謬
差讹error差訛
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 讹诈 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 讹

You can say '他被人讹了' (Tā bèi rén é le) meaning 'He was swindled by someone.'