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遢 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
遢tàcareless, negligent, slipshodx, 13 strokes, radical 辶, Very Hard
tà(ta4) 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Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
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

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Choose the correct answer:

About 遢

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

Podcast: 遢

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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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 遢?

Decomposition of 遢

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 遢?

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

Complete the Sentence

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)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我当时看上去一定很邋遢。

wǒ dāng shí kàn shàng qù yī dìng 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 zháo tā shàng le yī duàn yáo yáo huǎng huǎng de lóu tī， ， lái dào le yī jiān lā tà de wò shì qǐ jū shì liǎng yòng fáng。

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, , liǎn sè fā huī de, rén , huó xiàng méi chī, bǎo fàn , wài biǎo zǒng shì fēi.

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 wèn tí, , yòu、 lǎn 、 yòu、 lā tà 、 yòu bù.

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 zhì fú zhòu bā bā de， ， lā tà bù， kān ， huán jiàn shàng le。

His uniform was crumpled, untidy, splashed with mud.

Cultural Notes for 遢

🏮Cultural insight

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.

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 3

Compound Meaning

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.