team, group, band, army unit; measure word for groups of people
HSK 4, n, 4 strokes, radical 阝, rank #416, Medium
duì(dui4) T4
1squadron
2team
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March 24, 2026
队(隊)duì(dui4)
The character 队 (duì) refers to a group, team, or squadron, commonly used in contexts involving collective efforts or organized units, such as sports teams or military squads. This term emphasizes cooperation and teamwork among members. It can also serve as a measure word for groups of people, highlighting its functional versatility.
Strokes4Radical阝Frequency#416DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, teamwork is highly valued, especially in educational and work environments. The concept of 队 (duì) reflects the importance of collective achievement, seen in everything from sports to business collaborations.
Memory Tip
Imagine a group of people standing in a straight line, forming a '队' (duì) or a team. The character 队 has a 'mountain' radical (阝) on the left, suggesting a place where teams might gather, and the 'two' (队) on the right symbolizes the unity of at least two individuals working together.
Meanings of 队
duì(dui4)
1squadron
2team
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 队
队Simplified
隊Traditional
4Strokes
阝Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#416Frequency Rank
个Measure Word
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL2YCTL3HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 队
Podcast: 队
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AI Study Notes for 队
Quick Contrast
团队 (tuánduì) vs 队 (duì): Use 团队 when emphasizing a formal organization or group working towards a common goal, while 队 highlights a more general team or squad context.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 队 (duì) with other similar terms, such as 组 (zǔ), which also means group but has a different context. This word is used in both formal and informal settings, so pay attention to the context in which you're using it. Common collocations include '足球队' (zúqiú duì) for 'soccer team' and '救援队' (jiùyuán duì) for 'rescue team'.
HSK Study Tips
While 队 (duì) may not be explicitly listed in HSK levels, it connects well with vocabulary related to teamwork and collaboration found in beginner and intermediate levels. Students should focus on using it in sentences related to group activities and practice its measure word usage.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is to use the wrong measure word with 队; for example, saying '三队' (sān duì) instead of '三个队' (sān ge duì) for 'three teams'. Additionally, learners sometimes confuse 队 (duì) with 组 (zǔ), which can lead to incorrect usage in contexts where teamwork is implied.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 队
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Simplified form of 隊. Phonosemantic compound. 阝 represents the meaning and 㒸 represents the sound.
1The giveawayA group of people 人 gathered in one place 阝
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
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Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 队?
Decomposition of 队
IDS Structure⿰阝人
队Full Character
=
阝yi4
left
人ren2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 队?
How to say squadron in Chinese
“squadron” in Chinese is队duì
The character 队 (duì) refers to a group, team, or squadron, commonly used in contexts involving collective efforts or organized units, such as sports teams or military squads. This term emphasizes cooperation and teamwork among members. It can also serve as a measure word for groups of people, highlighting its functional versatility.
When to use 队
Learners often confuse 队 (duì) with other similar terms, such as 组 (zǔ), which also means group but has a different context. This word is used in both formal and informal settings, so pay attention to the context in which you're using it. Common collocations include '足球队' (zúqiú duì) for 'soccer team' and '救援队' (jiùyuán duì) for 'rescue team'.
队 or something close to it
团队 (tuánduì) vs 队 (duì): Use 团队 when emphasizing a formal organization or group working towards a common goal, while 队 highlights a more general team or squad context.
What learners get wrong
A common mistake is to use the wrong measure word with 队; for example, saying '三队' (sān duì) instead of '三个队' (sān ge duì) for 'three teams'. Additionally, learners sometimes confuse 队 (duì) with 组 (zǔ), which can lead to incorrect usage in contexts where teamwork is implied.
Write 队
队
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Practice writing 队 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 队
队 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 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.
球队qiúduìsports team (basketball, soccer, football etc)球隊
乐队yuèduìband樂隊
团队tuánduìteam團隊
队长duìzhǎngcaptain隊長
大队dàduìgroup大隊
排队páiduìto line up排隊
国家队the national team國家隊
队友teammate隊友
车队motorcade車隊
舰队fleet艦隊
啦啦队lālāduìcheerleading squad啦啦隊
支队detachment (of troops)支隊
生产队production team生產隊
领队lǐngduìto lead a group領隊
主队host side主隊
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 坠 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 队
队 (duì) typically refers to a team or squad that works together, often in a competitive context, like sports. 组 (zǔ) means 'group' and is often used more generally to refer to any collection of people or items, not necessarily competitive.
In everyday conversation, 队 (duì) is often used when discussing sports, work teams, or any collaborative group. For example, you might hear someone say '我们的队赢了比赛' (Wǒmen de duì yíngle bǐsài), which means 'Our team won the match.'
队 (duì) means 'squadron', 'team', or 'group' in Chinese. It's commonly used to refer to a collection of people working together, such as a sports team or a military squadron.
You can use 队 (duì) in sentences like '我们是一支篮球队' (Wǒmen shì yī zhī lánqiú duì), which means 'We are a basketball team.' It can also be used in other contexts, such as '警察队' (jǐngchá duì), meaning 'police squad.'
You can say '我们有一个新的足球队' (We have a new soccer team) to illustrate its use.
The measure word is 个 (gè), so you would say '一个队' (yí ge duì) for 'a team'.
No, 队 can refer to any group or team, including work teams, military units, or even groups of friends.
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