Skip to content
Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
遛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
遛liùto walk, to strollHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 辶, rank #8308, Very Hard
遛liùto walk (an animal)HSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 辶, rank #8308, Very Hard
遛liúto walk, to strollHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 辶, rank #8308, Very Hard
遛liúto walk (an animal)HSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 辶, rank #8308, Very Hard
liù(liu4)liu
primary
T4
  1. 1to walk, to stroll
  2. 2to walk (an animal)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

遛liù(liu4)

The character 遛 (liú) means to walk or stroll, often used in the context of taking a leisurely walk or walking an animal, such as a dog. It conveys a sense of casual movement rather than a brisk pace, and is commonly used in both everyday conversation and informal writing.

Strokes13Radical辶Frequency#8308DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, taking a pet for a stroll is a common and cherished activity, especially in urban areas where parks are frequented. This reflects the cultural importance of pets and the leisurely lifestyle many people enjoy on weekends.

Memory tip

Imagine a dog happily trotting beside you while you leisurely stroll through a park. The character 遛 can be visualized with the '走' radical (to walk) on the right, emphasizing movement, while '辶' on the left suggests a path or journey, reinforcing the idea of a relaxed walk.

Meanings of 遛

liù(liu4)
primary
1to walk, to stroll
2to walk (an animal)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 遛 means.

About 遛

遛Simplified
13Strokes
辶Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 遛

JasonAmy

Podcast: 遛

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 遛

Quick Contrast

散步 (sàn bù) vs 漫步 (màn bù) — use 遛 (liù) when emphasizing a casual walk, often with an animal, whereas 散步 (sàn bù) is more general for walking and 漫步 (màn bù) suggests a leisurely pace without specific context.

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 遛 is typically used in informal contexts, so it may not be suitable for formal writing. A common mistake is to confuse it with other walking verbs such as 走 (zǒu), which means 'to walk' in a more general sense. Remember to use 遛 when specifically referring to leisurely walks or walking pets.

HSK Study Tips

Though 遛 is not part of the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects well with other action verbs at higher levels, such as 走 (zǒu) and 跑 (pǎo). Focus on its usage in context, especially with animals, to enhance your conversational skills.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 遛 with 走 (zǒu). For example, saying '我遛去商店' (I stroll to the store) is incorrect; instead, use '我去商店' (I go to the store) for general walking.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 遛

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 遛 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
Get Pro to unlock

Jason Explains 遛 to You

Let me explain 遛 for you

Make it yours

Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 遛 through them.

Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

How Well Do You Know 遛?

Example

Learning Lab

Knowing 遛 is seven skills, not one.

Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.

  • MeaningFree
  • CharacterFree
  • PinyinFree
  • TonePro
  • ListeningPro
  • SpeakingPro
  • WritingPro
See the Learning Lab Three facets free · no card needed

Etymology of 遛

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

Phonosemantic compound. 辶 represents the meaning and 留 represents the sound.

Memory hint

walk

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

Origin

遛 = 辶 + 留. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 遛

IDS Structure⿺辶留
遛Full character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
留liu2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 遛?

How to say to walk, to stroll in Chinese

“to walk, to stroll” in Chinese is遛liù

The character 遛 (liú) means to walk or stroll, often used in the context of taking a leisurely walk or walking an animal, such as a dog. It conveys a sense of casual movement rather than a brisk pace, and is commonly used in both everyday conversation and informal writing.

When to use 遛

Be mindful that 遛 is typically used in informal contexts, so it may not be suitable for formal writing. A common mistake is to confuse it with other walking verbs such as 走 (zǒu), which means 'to walk' in a more general sense. Remember to use 遛 when specifically referring to leisurely walks or walking pets.

遛 or something close to it

散步 (sàn bù) vs 漫步 (màn bù) — use 遛 (liù) when emphasizing a casual walk, often with an animal, whereas 散步 (sàn bù) is more general for walking and 漫步 (màn bù) suggests a leisurely pace without specific context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 遛 with 走 (zǒu). For example, saying '我遛去商店' (I stroll to the store) is incorrect; instead, use '我去商店' (I go to the store) for general walking.

Write 遛

遛

Practice writing 遛 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 遛

遛 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 2 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.

我每晚在家附近的街道上____狗。

I walk my dog each evening around my local streets.

Example Sentences for 遛 (6)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我每晚在家附近的街道上遛狗。

wǒ měi wǎn zàijiā fùjìn de jiēdào shàng liù gǒu。

I walk my dog each evening around my local streets.
2
海滩上的游客投诉有人在沙滩上遛狗。

hǎitān shàng de yóukè tóusù yǒurén zài shātān shàng liù gǒu。

Beach users have complained about people walking their dogs on the sand.
3
我遛狗去了。

wǒ liù gǒu qù le。

I took the dog for a walk.
4
去遛狗

qù liù gǒu

to go for walkies
5
我骑车遛了一圈,试了一下我的新自行车.

wǒ qíchē liù le yī juān, shì le yíxià wǒ de xīn zìxíngchē.

I went for a ride to give my new bike a workout.
6
他缓步牵着马遛着.

tā huǎn bù qiān zhe mǎ liù zhe.

He walked the horse at a slow pace.

Ask Jason

Have a question about 遛?

Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.

Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 215 AI credits.

Word Family of 遛

Words containing this character4
遛liùto stroll
遛狗to walk a dog
遛弯to go for a stroll遛彎
遛弯儿to go for a stroll遛彎兒
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 遛

What does 遛狗 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 遛

While it is most commonly used for walking dogs, 遛 can also refer to strolling in general or walking other pets.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 遛?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.

A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.

See the Learning Lab