Meanings of 掉
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About 掉
Podcast: 掉
Podcast: 掉
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AI study notes for 掉
掉 (diào) vs 降 (jiàng) — use 掉 when emphasizing the action of dropping or falling, while 降 is more about a decrease in level or status.
A common mistake is using 掉 with objects that cannot physically drop, such as emotions or ideas; instead, use 失去 (shīqù) for 'to lose.' This character is often used in informal contexts, and learners should pay attention to its usage in phrases like '掉价' (diàojià - to drop in price).
As an HSK 4 word, 掉 connects with verbs that describe actions or changes, such as 坐 (zuò - to sit) and 走 (zǒu - to walk). Focus on using it with verbs to express completion or change, e.g., 听掉 (tīng diào - to miss hearing).
Learners often confuse 掉 with 失去 when expressing loss; for example, saying '我掉了我的手机' (Wǒ diàole wǒ de shǒujī) instead of '我失去了我的手机' (Wǒ shīqùle wǒ de shǒujī). Ensure you use 掉 for physical dropping or falling actions.
Pronunciation of 掉
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Jason Explains 掉 to you
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Learning Lab
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Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
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Etymology of 掉
Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 卓 represents the sound.
hand
Origin
掉 = 扌 + 卓. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 掉
Parts
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How to say to fall in Chinese
“to fall” in Chinese is掉
The character 掉 (diào) primarily means 'to fall' or 'to drop.' It is commonly used to describe the action of something descending or being removed, such as losing an item or experiencing a decrease in value. In various contexts, it can also imply a sense of loss or change.
When to use 掉
A common mistake is using 掉 with objects that cannot physically drop, such as emotions or ideas; instead, use 失去 (shīqù) for 'to lose.' This character is often used in informal contexts, and learners should pay attention to its usage in phrases like '掉价' (diàojià - to drop in price).
掉 or something close to it
掉 (diào) vs 降 (jiàng) — use 掉 when emphasizing the action of dropping or falling, while 降 is more about a decrease in level or status.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 掉 with 失去 when expressing loss; for example, saying '我掉了我的手机' (Wǒ diàole wǒ de shǒujī) instead of '我失去了我的手机' (Wǒ shīqùle wǒ de shǒujī). Ensure you use 掉 for physical dropping or falling actions.
Write 掉
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Practice writing 掉 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar patterns of 掉
掉 carries 18 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Fill the gap
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喂！你的钱包____了！
Hey! You dropped your wallet!
Common confusions with 掉
Different meanings, similar pinyin.
掉 means to fall or drop, while 丢 means to lose something.
我掉了我的书。 (I dropped my book.) vs. 我丢了我的书。 (I lost my book.)
掉 means to fall or drop, while 丢 means to lose something.
Which one
Which one means “to fall”?
Example sentences for 掉 (26)
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Cultural Notes for 掉
在古代中国，人们常用掉这个字来形容物品的损失，比如说掉了金钱或掉了重要的物件。这体现了古人对物品的重视以及对损失的敏感。
“掉以轻心”是一个常用的成语，意思是对事情掉以轻视，形容人们在处理事情时不够谨慎。
Word Family of 掉
Words with 掉
What does 干掉 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 掉
Common phrases using 掉 (diào) include 掉下 (diào xià), meaning 'to fall down,' and 掉队 (diào duì), which means 'to lag behind.' You might also encounter it in expressions like 掉价 (diào jià), meaning 'to reduce in price.' These phrases help illustrate the use of the character in everyday language.
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