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趿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
趿tāto tread on; slipshodv, 10 strokes, radical 足
tā(ta1) T1
  1. 1to tread on; slipshod
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

趿tā(ta1)

The character 趿 (tā) primarily means to tread on or to walk in a careless or slipshod manner. It often conveys a sense of being unkempt or not paying attention to one's appearance while walking, such as wearing mismatched shoes or slippers.

Strokes10Radical足
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, appearances and manners are often emphasized, and walking in a slipshod manner could be seen as disrespectful or careless. This character reflects societal expectations surrounding personal grooming and public behavior.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person treading carelessly on a path while wearing mismatched footwear, causing them to feel uncomfortable and uncoordinated. The character 趿 resembles a person with a foot (the radical '足' indicating movement or walking) stepping awkwardly.

Meanings of 趿

tā(ta1)
1to tread on; slipshod
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 趿

趿Simplified
10Strokes
足Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 趿

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Podcast: 趿

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AI Study Notes for 趿

Quick Contrast

趿 (tā) vs 踏 (tà) — use 趿 for careless walking, while 踏 emphasizes a more deliberate or purposeful step.

Usage Notes

Avoid using 趿 in formal contexts, as it has a casual tone associated with sloppiness. Common collocations include 趿拉 (tāla), which means to drag or to walk in a disheveled way. Be mindful of the tone; it is pronounced with a high flat tone (tā).

HSK Study Tips

Although not found in the official HSK vocabulary lists, understanding 趿 is beneficial for grasping colloquial expressions related to movement and appearance. Focus on its association with casual or careless walking, as it can help in understanding similar verbs at this level.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 趿 with other similar-sounding words. For example, saying '我趿着走' (wǒ tā zhe zǒu) is correct, but omitting the '着' makes it sound unnatural. Always use the correct form to convey the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 趿

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Etymology of 趿

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

foot

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 趿

  1. 1The meaning half足 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half及 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfoot
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 趿? 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 趿?

Decomposition of 趿

IDS Structure⿰足及
趿Full Character
=
足ju4
left
及ji2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 趿?

How to say to tread on; slipshod in Chinese

“to tread on; slipshod” in Chinese is趿tā

The character 趿 (tā) primarily means to tread on or to walk in a careless or slipshod manner. It often conveys a sense of being unkempt or not paying attention to one's appearance while walking, such as wearing mismatched shoes or slippers.

When to use 趿

Avoid using 趿 in formal contexts, as it has a casual tone associated with sloppiness. Common collocations include 趿拉 (tāla), which means to drag or to walk in a disheveled way. Be mindful of the tone; it is pronounced with a high flat tone (tā).

趿 or something close to it

趿 (tā) vs 踏 (tà) — use 趿 for careless walking, while 踏 emphasizes a more deliberate or purposeful step.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 趿 with other similar-sounding words. For example, saying '我趿着走' (wǒ tā zhe zǒu) is correct, but omitting the '着' makes it sound unnatural. Always use the correct form to convey the intended meaning.

Write 趿

趿

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 趿

Words Containing This Character2
趿tā(onom.) shuffling sound
趿拉(onom.) shuffling sound
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 趿 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 趿

趿拉 (tāla) refers to dragging one's feet or walking in a disheveled way, often associated with carelessness.

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