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陀 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
陀tuósteep bank, rough terrainnrt, 7 strokes, radical 阝, rank #11922, Very Hard
陀tuó(phonetic)unknown, 7 strokes, radical 阝, rank #11922, Very Hard
陀tuódeclivityunknown, 7 strokes, radical 阝, rank #11922, Very Hard
tuó(tuo2)tuo T2
  1. 1steep bank, rough terrain
  2. 2(phonetic)
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March 24, 2026

陀tuó(tuo2)

The character 陀 (tuó) refers to a steep bank or rough terrain, often used in the context of describing hilly or uneven landscapes. It can imply a sense of incline or declivity in physical geography. Though it is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it appears in literary or descriptive contexts.

Strokes7Radical阝Frequency#11922DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the landscape plays a significant role in poetry and traditional art, where terms like 陀 may evoke imagery of mountainous regions and their challenges. Understanding this character can deepen appreciation of geographic references in classic Chinese literature.

Memory tip

Imagine a steep bank with rugged edges, where one might struggle to climb. The character 陀 resembles a person (the left radical) trying to navigate this rough terrain (the right component) while shouting 'tuó!' to express the effort involved in overcoming the challenge.

Meanings of 陀

tuó(tuo2)
1steep bank, rough terrain
2(phonetic)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 陀

陀Simplified
7Strokes
阝Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 陀

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Podcast: 陀

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AI Study Notes for 陀

Usage Notes

This character is not commonly used in everyday speech, which can lead to confusion among learners. It's important to use it in appropriate contexts, such as literature or geography discussions. Pay attention to the tone; 'tuó' is pronounced with a rising tone, which differs from similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Currently, 陀 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but understanding it may enhance your knowledge of related terms in geography. Focus on the character's structure and use it to build familiarity with similar words describing landscapes.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 陀 with similar-sounding characters. For example, some might mistakenly use it to describe flat terrain instead of its intended meaning of steep or uneven land. Always remember that 陀 refers specifically to inclined surfaces.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 陀

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Etymology of 陀

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

Phonosemantic compound. 它 represents the meaning and 阝 represents the sound.

Memory hint

hill

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

Origin

陀 = 它 + 阝. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 陀

IDS Structure⿰阝它
陀Full character
=
阝yi4
left
它ta1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 陀?

How to say steep bank, rough terrain in Chinese

“steep bank, rough terrain” in Chinese is陀tuó

The character 陀 (tuó) refers to a steep bank or rough terrain, often used in the context of describing hilly or uneven landscapes. It can imply a sense of incline or declivity in physical geography. Though it is not commonly used in everyday conversation, it appears in literary or descriptive contexts.

When to use 陀

This character is not commonly used in everyday speech, which can lead to confusion among learners. It's important to use it in appropriate contexts, such as literature or geography discussions. Pay attention to the tone; 'tuó' is pronounced with a rising tone, which differs from similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 陀 with similar-sounding characters. For example, some might mistakenly use it to describe flat terrain instead of its intended meaning of steep or uneven land. Always remember that 陀 refers specifically to inclined surfaces.

Write 陀

陀

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

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Grammar Patterns of 陀

陀 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

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

____螺转得定住了. ( 当陀螺转得很快,很平稳时,看上去就象静止不 动 一样)

The top sleeps [ is asleep ].

Example Sentences for 陀 (1)

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1
陀螺转得定住了. ( 当陀螺转得很快,很平稳时,看上去就象静止不 动 一样)

tuó luó zhuǎi de dìng zhù le. ( dāng tuó luó zhuǎi de hěn kuài, hěn píngwěn shí, kànshangqu jiù xiàng jìngzhǐ bù dòng yíyàng)

The top sleeps [ is asleep ].

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Word Family of 陀

Words containing this character14
陀tuó(phonetic)
陀螺spinning top
阿弥陀佛Amitabha Buddha阿彌陀佛
佛陀Buddha (a person who has attained Buddhahood, or specifically Siddhartha Gautama)
直布罗陀Gibraltar直布羅陀
普陀Putuo district of Zhoushan city 舟山市[Zhōu​shān​shì], Zhejiang
普陀区Putuo district, central Shanghai普陀區
比勒陀利亚Pretoria, capital of South Africa比勒陀利亞
普陀山Mt Potala at Zhoushan 舟山市 in Zhejiang, one of the Four Sacred Mountains and Bodhimanda of Guanyin 觀音|观音 (Avalokiteśvara)
弥陀abbr. for 阿彌陀佛|阿弥陀佛彌陀
陀螺仪gyroscope陀螺儀
直布罗陀海峡Strait of Gibraltar直布羅陀海峽
盘陀twisted盤陀
盘陀路twisting path盤陀路
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 陀

What does 陀螺 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 陀

It means steep bank or rough terrain, often used to describe hilly landscapes.

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