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遢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
遢tàcareless, negligent, slipshodx, 13 strokes, radical 辶
tà(ta4)ta T4
  1. 1careless, negligent, slipshod
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March 24, 2026

遢tà(ta4)

The character 遢 (tà) conveys a sense of carelessness or negligence in actions or appearance. It is often used to describe someone who is sloppy or unkempt, reflecting a lack of attention to detail. This term can be used in both personal grooming contexts and to describe general attitudes towards responsibilities.

Strokes13Radical辶
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, personal appearance and neatness are often associated with respect and diligence. Being described as 遢 can carry a negative connotation, reflecting poorly on one's character in social settings.

Memory tip

Imagine a person who 'tā' (sounds like 'ta') is so careless that they let their belongings 'fall away' (the radical 道 suggests a path or direction) and get messy. Picture a trail of clothes leading to a chaotic room, symbolizing the concept of being negligent.

Meanings of 遢

tà(ta4)
1careless, negligent, slipshod
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 遢

遢Simplified
13Strokes
辶Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 遢

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AI Study Notes for 遢

Quick Contrast

粗心 (cūxīn, careless) — use 遢 (tà) to emphasize sloppiness in appearance or actions, whereas 粗心 focuses more on inattentiveness or negligence in tasks.

Usage Notes

This character is typically used in informal contexts. Beware of confusing it with similar-sounding words; ensure correct pronunciation. Common collocations include 邋遢 (lā tà), which specifically means 'sloppy' or 'unkempt'.

HSK Study Tips

While 遢 is not an HSK level word, students should focus on similar adjectives describing behavior or appearances as they progress. Connecting this term with its collocations can enhance vocabulary retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 遢 with its pronunciation and the similar-sounding 邋 (lā), using it incorrectly in sentences. For example, saying '他很邋 (tā hěn lā)' instead of '他很邋遢 (tā hěn lā tà)' to mean 'he is very sloppy' is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 遢

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Etymology of 遢

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

walk

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

Origin

遢 = 辶 + 日. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 遢

IDS Structure⿺辶⿱日羽
遢Full character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
日Ri4
top
羽yu3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Parts

Which of these is part of 遢?

How to say careless, negligent, slipshod in Chinese

“careless, negligent, slipshod” in Chinese is遢tà

The character 遢 (tà) conveys a sense of carelessness or negligence in actions or appearance. It is often used to describe someone who is sloppy or unkempt, reflecting a lack of attention to detail. This term can be used in both personal grooming contexts and to describe general attitudes towards responsibilities.

When to use 遢

This character is typically used in informal contexts. Beware of confusing it with similar-sounding words; ensure correct pronunciation. Common collocations include 邋遢 (lā tà), which specifically means 'sloppy' or 'unkempt'.

遢 or something close to it

粗心 (cūxīn, careless) — use 遢 (tà) to emphasize sloppiness in appearance or actions, whereas 粗心 focuses more on inattentiveness or negligence in tasks.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 遢 with its pronunciation and the similar-sounding 邋 (lā), using it incorrectly in sentences. For example, saying '他很邋 (tā hěn lā)' instead of '他很邋遢 (tā hěn lā tà)' to mean 'he is very sloppy' is incorrect.

Write 遢

遢

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

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Grammar Patterns of 遢

遢 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

瞧你那邋____样儿，出门前也不照照镜子。

Look at how sloppy you are — you did not even check the mirror before going out.

Example Sentences for 遢 (5)

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1
我当时看上去一定很邋遢。

wǒ dāngshí kànshangqu yídìng hěn lā tà。

I must look like something the cat dragged in.
2
他跟着她上了一段摇摇晃晃的楼梯，来到了一间邋遢的卧室起居室两用房间。

tā gēn zhe tā shàng le yī duàn yáo yáohuàng huǎng de lóutī， láidào le yī jiān lā tà de wòshì qǐ jī shì liǎng yòng fángjiān。

He followed her up a rickety staircase to a squalid bedsit.
3
他是个瘦骨棱棱,脸色发灰的人, 活象没吃饱饭, 外表总是非常邋遢.

tā shì gè shòu gǔ léng léng, liǎnsè fā huī de rén, huó xiàng méi chī bǎo fàn, wàibiǎo zǒngshì fēicháng lā tà.

He's a scrawny, greyfaced man, who looks half - starved, and he's always very slovenly in appearance.
4
他有点成问题, 又懒 、 又邋遢、又不讲卫生.

tā yǒu diǎn chéng wèntí, yòu lǎn、 yòu lā tà、 yòu bù jiǎng wèishēng.

He's a bit of a problem; he's lazy, untidy and not too particular about being clean.
5
他的制服皱巴巴的，邋遢不堪，还溅上了泥点。

tā de zhìfú zhòu Bā Bā de， lā tà bùkān， hái jiàn shàng le ní diǎn。

His uniform was crumpled, untidy, splashed with mud.

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Word Family of 遢

Words containing this character3
邋遢sloppy
邋里邋遢messy邋裡邋遢
遢tàsloppy
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 遢

What does 邋遢 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 遢

邋遢 (lā tà) specifically emphasizes sloppiness in a more colloquial way, while 遢 (tà) can describe negligence more broadly.

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