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辙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
辙chèto removen, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙chèrutn, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙chèto withdrawn, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙chètrackn, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙chètrack, rut; stuck in a rutn, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙chèrhymeunknown, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙chè(dialect) wayunknown, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙chèmethodunknown, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙zhéto removen, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙zhérutn, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙zhéto withdrawn, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙zhétrackn, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙zhétrack, rut; stuck in a rutn, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙zhérhymeunknown, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙zhé(dialect) wayunknown, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
辙zhémethodunknown, 16 strokes, radical 车, rank #24829, Very Hard
chè(che4)
primary
T4
  1. 1to remove
  2. 2rut
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

辙(轍)chè(che4)

The character 辙 (chè) refers primarily to a rut or track, typically associated with paths or roads worn down by repeated travel. It can also mean to remove or withdraw, highlighting a sense of being stuck in a repetitive cycle or situation. This word is often used metaphorically to describe being in a 'rut' in life or work.

Strokes16Radical车Frequency#24829DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being 'stuck in a rut' often relates to societal expectations, where individuals may feel pressured to follow traditional paths in career or life, leading to a metaphorical rut.

Memory Tip

Imagine a train on a track (the 'track' being a 'rut') that is stuck and unable to move forward. The character 辙 has a structure that suggests movement along a pathway, and you can remember the pronunciation 'chè' by thinking of 'chess'—as in strategizing your path to avoid getting stuck in a rut.

Meanings of 辙

chè(che4)
primary
1to remove
2rut
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 辙

辙Simplified
轍Traditional
16Strokes
车Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#24829Frequency Rank

Podcast: 辙

JasonAmy

Podcast: 辙

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 辙

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 辙 with similar-sounding characters, so be mindful of context when using it. It is more commonly used in written language than in spoken conversation, making it slightly formal. Common collocations include phrases that illustrate being stuck in a rut or withdrawing from a situation.

HSK Study Tips

While 辙 is not included in the HSK vocabulary, it connects to higher-level words about movement and pathways, such as 道 (dào - way/path) and 路 (lù - road). Focus on the character's components to help remember its meaning.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly write 辙 as 轨 (guǐ) due to similar components, which means 'track' in a different context. It's important to remember that 辙 emphasizes the concept of being stuck or a rut, while 轨 does not.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 辙

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Etymology of 辙

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

Something left 育 by a cart 车 when it moves 攵

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 辙

  1. 1The giveawaySomething left 育 by a cart 车 when it moves 攵
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 辙? 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 辙?

Decomposition of 辙

IDS Structure⿲车育攵
辙Full Character
=
车Che1
left
育yu4
middle
攵pu1
right
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 辙?

How to say to remove in Chinese

“to remove” in Chinese is辙chè

The character 辙 (chè) refers primarily to a rut or track, typically associated with paths or roads worn down by repeated travel. It can also mean to remove or withdraw, highlighting a sense of being stuck in a repetitive cycle or situation. This word is often used metaphorically to describe being in a 'rut' in life or work.

When to use 辙

Learners often confuse 辙 with similar-sounding characters, so be mindful of context when using it. It is more commonly used in written language than in spoken conversation, making it slightly formal. Common collocations include phrases that illustrate being stuck in a rut or withdrawing from a situation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly write 辙 as 轨 (guǐ) due to similar components, which means 'track' in a different context. It's important to remember that 辙 emphasizes the concept of being stuck or a rut, while 轨 does not.

Write 辙

辙

Practice writing 辙 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 辙

辙 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 8 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

柏油路面两边的辅道上布满车____,凹凸不平。

The side tracks off the tarred road were rutted and uneven.

Example Sentences for 辙 (5)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
柏油路面两边的辅道上布满车辙,凹凸不平。

bǎi yóu lù miàn liǎng biān de fǔ dào shàng bù mǎn chē zhé, , āo tū bù。

The side tracks off the tarred road were rutted and uneven.
2
他的风格几乎和他的前辈如出一辙。

tā de fēng gé jī hū hé tā de qián bèi rú chū yī zhé。

His style could scarcely be further removed from that of his predecessor.
3
汽车轮子碾入街道上布满车辙的雪里,发出很大的声响。

qì chē lún zǐ niǎn rù jiē dào shàng bù mǎn chē zhé de xuě lǐ, , fā chū hěn dà de shēng。

The car's tires bit loudly on the rutted snow in the street.
4
这条路我开车来回都走过了,但是却看不出来车辙在哪。

zhè tiáo lù wǒ kāi chē lái huí dū zǒu guò le, , dàn shì què kàn bù chū lái chē zhé zài。

I'd driven both ways down this road but my tracks didn't show.
5
这条路渐渐变成一条满是车辙印的小径。

zhè tiáo lù jiàn jiàn biàn chéng yī tiáo mǎn shì chē zhé yìn de xiǎo jìng。

The road petered out into a rutted track.

Word Family of 辙

Words Containing This Character12
重蹈覆辙to repeat a disastrous policy重蹈覆轍
没辙méizhéat one's wit's end沒轍
辙chèrut轍
如出一辙to be precisely the same如出一轍
覆辙disastrous policy覆轍
南辕北辙nányuánběizhéto act in a way that defeats one's purpose (idiom)南轅北轍
车辙track車轍
改弦易辙to dance to a different tune改弦易轍
合辙rhyming合轍
找辙to look for a pretext找轍
涸辙之鲋fig. a person in dire straits涸轍之鮒
故辙rut (made by vehicles)故轍
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 重蹈覆辙 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 辙

It's not commonly used in spoken language, but you might hear it in discussions about feeling stuck or repetitive patterns.

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