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遂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
遂suìto fail; to follow, to comply withd, 12 strokes, radical 辶, rank #23787, Very Hard
遂suìto satisfyunknown, 12 strokes, radical 辶, rank #23787, Very Hard
遂suìto succeedunknown, 12 strokes, radical 辶, rank #23787, Very Hard
遂suìthenunknown, 12 strokes, radical 辶, rank #23787, Very Hard
遂suìthereuponunknown, 12 strokes, radical 辶, rank #23787, Very Hard
遂suìfinallyunknown, 12 strokes, radical 辶, rank #23787, Very Hard
遂suìunexpectedlyunknown, 12 strokes, radical 辶, rank #23787, Very Hard
遂suìto proceedunknown, 12 strokes, radical 辶, rank #23787, Very Hard
遂suìto reachunknown, 12 strokes, radical 辶, rank #23787, Very Hard
suì(sui4)sui T4
  1. 1to fail; to follow, to comply with
  2. 2to satisfy
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

遂suì(sui4)

The character 遂 (suì) has multiple meanings including 'to follow,' 'to comply with,' and 'to succeed.' It is often used in contexts where actions are taken in accordance with a plan or expectation, and can imply both positive outcomes and the idea of proceeding with something after certain conditions are met.

Strokes12Radical辶Frequency#23787DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the idea of following and complying (as suggested by 遂) is deeply rooted in Confucian values of harmony and obedience to social norms, which is significant in both personal and professional relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person 'following' a path (the radical 隹 for 'bird' suggests following something that flies) to reach their destination. They succeed in their journey, which connects to the pronunciation 'suì'—think of 'swaying' along the path to success.

Meanings of 遂

suì(sui4)
1to fail; to follow, to comply with
2to satisfy
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 遂 means.

About 遂

遂Simplified
12Strokes
辶Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 遂

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Podcast: 遂

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AI Study Notes for 遂

Quick Contrast

遂 (suì) vs 达 (dá) — use 遂 when emphasizing compliance or following through with a plan, while 达 focuses on reaching a destination or achieving a goal.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 遂 with other similar-sounding characters like '岁' (suì, meaning 'age'). In formal contexts, it is often used in written Chinese, while in casual conversation, simpler alternatives like '跟' (gēn, to follow) may be preferred. Pay attention to the tone; it should always be pronounced with the fourth tone (falling).

HSK Study Tips

Though not included in the HSK levels, understanding 遂 can enhance your vocabulary as it connects to terms related to success and compliance found in HSK Level 4 and higher. Focus on its usage in phrases like '顺遂' (shùn suì, meaning 'smoothly') to grasp its applications.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 遂 with '随' (suí), which means 'to follow' in a more casual sense. Ensure you do not use 遂 in contexts where being casual is appropriate, as it can sound overly formal or literary.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 遂

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Etymology of 遂

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

walk

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

Origin

遂 = 辶 + 豕. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 遂

IDS Structure⿺辶⿱丷豕
遂Full Character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
丷ha5
top
豕shi3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 遂?

How to say to fail; to follow, to comply with in Chinese

“to fail; to follow, to comply with” in Chinese is遂suì

The character 遂 (suì) has multiple meanings including 'to follow,' 'to comply with,' and 'to succeed.' It is often used in contexts where actions are taken in accordance with a plan or expectation, and can imply both positive outcomes and the idea of proceeding with something after certain conditions are met.

When to use 遂

Common mistakes include confusing 遂 with other similar-sounding characters like '岁' (suì, meaning 'age'). In formal contexts, it is often used in written Chinese, while in casual conversation, simpler alternatives like '跟' (gēn, to follow) may be preferred. Pay attention to the tone; it should always be pronounced with the fourth tone (falling).

遂 or something close to it

遂 (suì) vs 达 (dá) — use 遂 when emphasizing compliance or following through with a plan, while 达 focuses on reaching a destination or achieving a goal.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 遂 with '随' (suí), which means 'to follow' in a more casual sense. Ensure you do not use 遂 in contexts where being casual is appropriate, as it can sound overly formal or literary.

Write 遂

遂

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

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Grammar Patterns of 遂

遂 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 9 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.

我知道你会同我一起祝愿他们诸事顺____的。

I know you will join me in wishing them Godspeed.

Example Sentences for 遂 (4)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我知道你会同我一起祝愿他们诸事顺遂的。

wǒ zhī dào nǐ huì tóng wǒ yī qǐ zhù yuàn tā mén zhū shì shùn suì de。

I know you will join me in wishing them Godspeed.
2
他1987年曾患轻度中风,之后就半身不遂了。

tā1987 1987 nián zēng huàn qīng dù zhōng, fēng , zhī hòu jiù bàn shēn bù。

He had a minor stroke in 1987, which left him partly paralysed.
3
她因投毒和谋杀未遂被判20年监禁。

tā yīn tóu dú hé móu shā wèi suì bèi pàn20 20 nián jiān。

She was sentenced to twenty years' imprisonment for poisoning and attempted murder.
4
如被判谋杀未遂,威廉斯将面临终身监禁。

rú bèi pàn móu shā wèi suì, , wēi lián sī jiāng miàn lín zhōng shēn jiān。

Williams faces life in prison if convicted of attempted murder.

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Word Family of 遂

Words Containing This Character20
遂suìthen
未遂unsuccessful (attempt)
毛遂自荐Mao Sui recommends himself (idiom); to offer one's services (in the style of Mao Sui offering his services to king of Chu 楚 of the Warring states)毛遂自薦
半身不遂hemiplegia
遂宁Suining prefecture level city in Sichuan遂寧
不遂to fail
顺遂just as one wishes順遂
遂宁市Suining prefecture level city in Sichuan遂寧市
遂川县Suichuan county in Ji'an 吉安, Jiangxi遂川縣
遂川Suichuan county in Ji'an 吉安, Jiangxi
遂昌Suichang county in Lishui 麗水|丽水[Lí​shuǐ], Zhejiang
褚遂良Chu Suiliang (596-659), one of Four Great Calligraphers of early Tang 唐初四大家[Táng​chū​Sì​Dà​jiā]
遂溪Suixi county in Zhanjiang 湛江[Zhàn​jiāng], Guangdong
遂溪县Suixi county in Zhanjiang 湛江[Zhàn​jiāng], Guangdong遂溪縣
遂心suìxīnto one's liking
遂昌县Suichang county in Lishui 麗水|丽水[Lí​shuǐ], Zhejiang遂昌縣
遂愿to have one's wish fulfilled遂願
遂平Suiping county in Zhumadian 駐馬店|驻马店[Zhù​mǎ​diàn], Henan
遂平县Suiping county in Zhumadian 駐馬店|驻马店[Zhù​mǎ​diàn], Henan遂平縣
杀人未遂attempted murder殺人未遂
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 遂

What does 未遂 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 遂

Common phrases include '顺遂' (shùn suì, to go smoothly) and '遂愿' (suì yuàn, to fulfill one's wishes).

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