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遛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
liùto walk, to strollHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 辶, rank #8308, Hard
liùto walk (an animal)HSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 辶, rank #8308, Hard
liúto walk, to strollHSK 7, v, 13 strokes, radical 辶, rank #8308, Hard
liúto walk (an animal)HSK 7, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 辶, rank #8308, Hard
liù(liu4)
primary
T4
  1. 1to walk, to stroll
  2. 2to walk (an animal)
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March 24, 2026

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.

Strokes13RadicalFrequency#8308DifficultyHard
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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 遛

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

Podcast: 遛

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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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 遛?

Decomposition of 遛

IDS Structure⿺辶留
Full Character
=
chuo4
enclosing
liu2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 遛?

Write 遛

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 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

Complete the Sentence

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)

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1
我每晚在家附近的街道上遛狗。

wǒ měi wǎn zài jiā fù jìn de jiē dào 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。

hǎi tān shàng de yóu kè tóu sù yǒu rén zài shā tān 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 qí chē liù le yī quān, , shì le yī xià wǒ de xīn zì háng.

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 zháo mǎ liù zháo.

He walked the horse at a slow pace.

Cultural Notes for 遛

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Word Family of 遛

Words Containing This Character4
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 4

Compound Meaning

What does 遛 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.