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逃 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
逃
táo
to escape
HSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 辶, rank #1086, Hard
逃
táo
to run away
HSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 辶, rank #1086, Hard
逃
táo
to flee
HSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 辶, rank #1086, Hard
逃
táo
to abscond, to dodge, to escape, to flee
HSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 辶, rank #1086, Hard
táo(tao2)tao T2
1to escape
2to run away
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March 24, 2026
逃táo(tao2)
The verb 逃 (táo) means to escape or to flee from a situation or location, often used in contexts involving danger or pursuit. It can also imply avoidance of responsibilities or difficulties, making it versatile in both literal and figurative uses.
Strokes9Radical辶Frequency#1086DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 逃 is often depicted in literature and cinema, where characters escape from oppressive situations, symbolizing a quest for freedom. This is particularly relevant in historical narratives about social injustice.
Memory tip
Imagine a rabbit (兔) escaping from a hungry fox. The character 逃 looks like a rabbit running away from danger, emphasizing the act of fleeing. The pronunciation 'táo' sounds like 'towel,' which you might use to wipe away the sweat from running away in a panic!
Meanings of 逃
táo(tao2)
1to escape
2to run away
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 逃
逃Simplified
9Strokes
辶Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1086Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 逃
Podcast: 逃
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AI study notes for 逃
Quick Contrast
逃 (táo) vs 躲 (duǒ) — choose 逃 when emphasizing escape from danger, while 躲 focuses on hiding or taking cover.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 逃 with similar verbs like 跑 (pǎo, to run) or 逃避 (táobì, to evade), which has a more specific connotation of avoidance. 逃 is more direct in meaning and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in storytelling or discussions about escape scenarios.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 5 word, 逃 connects with other verbs indicating movement or action, such as 跑 (pǎo, to run) or 走 (zǒu, to go). Students should focus on using 逃 in various sentence structures to describe actions of fleeing in different contexts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 逃 when they mean to say 'to run' in a neutral sense. For instance, saying '我逃去商店' (wǒ táo qù shāngdiàn) meaning 'I escape to the store' is incorrect; it should be '我去商店' (wǒ qù shāngdiàn).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 逃
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Learning Lab
Knowing 逃 is seven skills, not one.
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.
逃 = 辶 + 兆. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 逃
IDS Structure⿺辶兆
逃Full character
=
辶chuo4
enclosing
兆Zhao4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 逃?
How to say to escape in Chinese
“to escape” in Chinese is逃táo
The verb 逃 (táo) means to escape or to flee from a situation or location, often used in contexts involving danger or pursuit. It can also imply avoidance of responsibilities or difficulties, making it versatile in both literal and figurative uses.
When to use 逃
Learners often confuse 逃 with similar verbs like 跑 (pǎo, to run) or 逃避 (táobì, to evade), which has a more specific connotation of avoidance. 逃 is more direct in meaning and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in storytelling or discussions about escape scenarios.
逃 or something close to it
逃 (táo) vs 躲 (duǒ) — choose 逃 when emphasizing escape from danger, while 躲 focuses on hiding or taking cover.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 逃 when they mean to say 'to run' in a neutral sense. For instance, saying '我逃去商店' (wǒ táo qù shāngdiàn) meaning 'I escape to the store' is incorrect; it should be '我去商店' (wǒ qù shāngdiàn).
Write 逃
逃
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Practice writing 逃 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 逃
逃 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 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
15岁的丹尼从地方当局的收容所____跑了。
Fifteen-year-old Danny is on the run from a local authority home.
Example sentences for 逃 (16)
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1
15岁的丹尼从地方当局的收容所逃跑了。
15 suì de dān ní cóng dìfang dāng jú de shōu róng suǒ táopǎo le。
Fifteen-year-old Danny is on the run from a local authority home.
2
亚辛试图从警察手中逃脱时受了重伤。
yà Xīn shìtú cóng jǐngchá shǒu zhōng táo tuō shí shòu le zhòngshāng。
Yasin had seriously hurt himself while trying to escape from the police.
During the war, many families chose to escape the war zone in search of a safe place.
16
他决定从繁忙的城市生活中逃一段时间，去乡下放松心情。
Tā juédìng cóng fánmáng de chéngshì shēnghuó zhōng táo yí duàn shíjiān, qù xiāngxià fàngsōng xīnqíng.
He decided to escape the busy city life for a while and relax in the countryside.
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Word Family of 逃
Words containing this character20
逃táoto escape
逃跑táopǎoto run away
逃避táobìto escape
逃走táozǒuto escape
逃离táolíto run out逃離
逃脱táotuōto run away逃脫
逃亡táowángto flee
逃逸táoyìto escape
逃犯táofànescaped criminal
逃生táoshēngto flee for one's life
在逃zàitáoto be at large (of a criminal)
潜逃qiántáoto abscond潛逃
逃命táomìngto escape
逃课táokèto skip class逃課
逃窜táocuànto run away逃竄
出逃chūtáoto run away
逃税táoshuìto evade a tax逃稅
逃往táowǎngto run away
逃兵táobīngarmy deserter
外逃wàitáoto flee abroad
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 逃
What does 逃跑 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 逃
Synonyms for 逃 (táo) include 逃避 (táobì), meaning 'to evade' or 'to avoid', and 逃跑 (táopǎo), which means 'to run away'. These words can be used interchangeably in many contexts, but may carry slightly different connotations.
You should use 逃 (táo) when referring to the act of escaping in a general sense, while 逃跑 (táopǎo) is more specific to the action of running away. For example, '他逃了' (tā táo le) simply means 'He escaped', whereas '他逃跑了' (tā táopǎo le) emphasizes the act of running away.
逃 (táo) means 'to escape' or 'to run away'. It is commonly used in contexts involving fleeing from danger or avoiding something unpleasant. For example, you might use it to describe escaping from a difficult situation or running away from an animal.
To use 逃 (táo) in a sentence, you can say '他逃了' (tā táo le), which means 'He escaped'. It can be combined with other words to provide more context, such as '逃跑' (táopǎo), meaning 'to run away'.
You can say, '他逃了' (tā táo le) meaning 'He escaped.' It can be used in various contexts to describe fleeing from danger or avoiding responsibilities.
It can be used in both formal and informal situations, but context matters—like in news reports or casual conversations.
Yes, 逃 can be used to describe avoiding responsibilities or difficult situations, such as '他逃避问题' (tā táobì wèntí) meaning 'He dodges problems.'
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