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March 24, 2026
滴dī(di1)
The character 滴 (dī) primarily means 'to drip' and refers to the action of liquid falling drop by drop. It is often used to describe the sound or action of water droplets, such as rain or a leaky faucet. In a broader context, it can also refer to a small amount of liquid, such as a drop of water.
Strokes14Radical氵Frequency#2709DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
滴 is commonly associated with the sound of raindrops in Chinese poetry and literature, emphasizing the beauty and tranquility of nature. The imagery of dripping water often symbolizes persistence or the passing of time in cultural expressions.
Memory Tip
Imagine a drop of water hanging from a leaf, about to drip down – this visual connects the sound 'dī' with the action of dripping. The character 滴 has the water radical 氵 (shuǐ), reinforcing its connection to liquid.
Meanings of 滴
dī(di1)
1a drop
2to drip
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 滴
滴Simplified
14Strokes
氵Radical
量词liàngcímeasure word (mw.)Part of Speech
#2709Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6IntermediateTOCFLL5HSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 滴
Podcast: 滴
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AI Study Notes for 滴
Quick Contrast
滴 (dī) vs 落 (luò) — use 滴 when specifically referring to the action of dripping, while 落 refers more generally to falling.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 滴 with similar characters like 点 (diǎn), which means 'dot' or 'point.' 滴 is used in both formal and informal settings, particularly in descriptive contexts. Common collocations include '滴水' (dī shuǐ) meaning 'dripping water.'
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 5 word, 滴 connects with other vocabulary related to nature and actions, such as 流 (liú, to flow) and 滑 (huá, to slide). Students should focus on using it in context to describe actions involving liquids.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 滴 with the character 提 (tí, to lift), leading to sentences like '我滴书' (Wǒ dī shū) instead of '我提书' (Wǒ tí shū, I lift the book). Ensure the correct action is being described.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 滴
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2The sound half啇 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 滴? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 滴?
Decomposition of 滴
IDS Structure⿰氵啇
滴Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
啇di4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 滴?
How to say a drop in Chinese
“a drop” in Chinese is滴dī
The character 滴 (dī) primarily means 'to drip' and refers to the action of liquid falling drop by drop. It is often used to describe the sound or action of water droplets, such as rain or a leaky faucet. In a broader context, it can also refer to a small amount of liquid, such as a drop of water.
When to use 滴
Be careful not to confuse 滴 with similar characters like 点 (diǎn), which means 'dot' or 'point.' 滴 is used in both formal and informal settings, particularly in descriptive contexts. Common collocations include '滴水' (dī shuǐ) meaning 'dripping water.'
滴 or something close to it
滴 (dī) vs 落 (luò) — use 滴 when specifically referring to the action of dripping, while 落 refers more generally to falling.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 滴 with the character 提 (tí, to lift), leading to sentences like '我滴书' (Wǒ dī shū) instead of '我提书' (Wǒ tí shū, I lift the book). Ensure the correct action is being described.
Write 滴
滴
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Practice writing 滴 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 滴
滴 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 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.
