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抵 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
抵dǐto press againstHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto supportHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto prop upHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto resistHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto equalHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto balanceHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto make up forHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto mortgageHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto arrive atHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto resist; to arrive; mortgageHSK 7, zg, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
抵dǐto clap (one's hands) lightly (expressing delight) (Taiwan pr. [zhi3] for this sense)HSK 7, unknown, 8 strokes, radical 扌, rank #8371, Very Hard
dǐ(di3) T3
  1. 1to press against
  2. 2to support
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

抵dǐ(di3)

The character 抵 (dǐ) primarily means 'to press against' or 'to support.' It can also convey notions of resistance, equality, or balance in various contexts, such as financial transactions (like mortgages) or physical support. This character is used in both formal and informal situations, making it quite versatile.

Strokes8Radical扌Frequency#8371DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In modern Chinese banking, 抵押 (dǐyā) is a common term used in mortgages, reflecting the importance of property ownership and financial security in contemporary life. Understanding this term can provide insight into the financial practices prevalent in Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strong wall (the left radical 扌) that can resist pressure (the right radical 抵), symbolizing support and balance. Picture someone pushing against the wall, and you can remember 'dǐ' as 'to resist' or 'to prop up.' Visualize this scene to help recall the pronunciation.

Meanings of 抵

dǐ(di3)
1to press against
2to support
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 抵

抵Simplified
8Strokes
扌Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#8371Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7

Podcast: 抵

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Podcast: 抵

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AI Study Notes for 抵

Quick Contrast

抵 (dǐ) vs 支 (zhī) — use 抵 for pressing against or supporting, while 支 emphasizes providing or supporting in a more abstract or financial context.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tones; 'dǐ' has a falling tone that can be confused with other similar-sounding words. Common collocations include 抵押 (dǐyā, 'to mortgage') and 抵抗 (dǐkàng, 'to resist'). It's appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but overly formal situations might require synonyms.

HSK Study Tips

Although 抵 is not a standard HSK vocabulary word, it connects with HSK Level 4 words related to finance and support, such as 贷款 (dàikuǎn, 'loan') and 支持 (zhīchí, 'support'). Focus on its various meanings to enhance your vocabulary in financial and physical contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 抵 with similar-sounding characters like 低 (dī, 'low') due to tonal errors. For example, saying '低押' instead of '抵押' changes the meaning entirely. Always pay attention to tone for accurate communication.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 抵

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Etymology of 抵

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 氐 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)氐
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 抵

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 氐 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half氐 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhand
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 抵? 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 抵?

Decomposition of 抵

IDS Structure⿰扌氐
抵Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
氐Di1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 抵?

How to say to press against in Chinese

“to press against” in Chinese is抵dǐ

The character 抵 (dǐ) primarily means 'to press against' or 'to support.' It can also convey notions of resistance, equality, or balance in various contexts, such as financial transactions (like mortgages) or physical support. This character is used in both formal and informal situations, making it quite versatile.

When to use 抵

Be cautious with the tones; 'dǐ' has a falling tone that can be confused with other similar-sounding words. Common collocations include 抵押 (dǐyā, 'to mortgage') and 抵抗 (dǐkàng, 'to resist'). It's appropriate in both spoken and written contexts, but overly formal situations might require synonyms.

抵 or something close to it

抵 (dǐ) vs 支 (zhī) — use 抵 for pressing against or supporting, while 支 emphasizes providing or supporting in a more abstract or financial context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 抵 with similar-sounding characters like 低 (dī, 'low') due to tonal errors. For example, saying '低押' instead of '抵押' changes the meaning entirely. Always pay attention to tone for accurate communication.

Write 抵

抵

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 抵

抵 carries 11 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 4

Complete the Sentence

我走出门,竖起衣领____御冷雾。

I stepped outside and pulled up my collar against the cold mist.

Example Sentences for 抵 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我走出门,竖起衣领抵御冷雾。

wǒ zǒu chū mén, , shù qǐ yī lǐng dǐ yù lěng。

I stepped outside and pulled up my collar against the cold mist.
2
成车的食物、毯子与其他必需品抵达了该市。

chéng chē de shí wù、 、 tǎn zǐ yǔ qí tā bì xū pǐn dǐ dá le gāi。

Truckloads of food, blankets, and other necessities reached the city.
3
撤离人员一抵达迪拜就径直被送往迪拜国际机场。

chè lí rén yuán yī dǐ dá dí bài jiù jìng zhí bèi sòng wǎng dí bài guó jì jī cháng。

On reaching Dubai the evacuees are taken straight to Dubai international airport.
4
他的车滑到了大楼的一侧,抵住了。

tā de chē huá dào le dà lóu de yī cè, , dǐ zhù。

He slewed the car against the side of the building.
5
除非受恶劣天气干扰,南非邮船一般在星期五上午抵达。

chú fēi shòu è liè tiān qì gān rǎo, , nán fēi yóu chuán yī bān zài xīng qī wǔ shàng wǔ dǐ。

The South African mailboat arrived on Friday mornings unless bad weather intervened.
6
他抬起手来抵挡那一拳。

tā tái qǐ shǒu lái dǐ dǎng nà yī quán。

He raised his hand to fend off the blow.
7
天冷时,身体的抵抗力会下降。

tiān lěng shí, , shēn tǐ de dǐ kàng lì huì xià。

The body may be less resistant if it is cold.
8
业主如果未能按时交房贷,就会面临丧失抵押品赎回权的危险。

yè zhǔ rú guǒ wèi néng àn shí jiāo fáng dài, , jiù huì miàn lín sāng shī dǐ yā pǐn shú huí quán de wēi。

If homeowners can't keep up the payments, they face foreclosure.
9
抵押贷款利率最近的回升可能会扼杀房地产的复苏。

dǐ yā dài kuǎn lì shuài zuì jìn de huí shēng kě néng huì è shā fáng dì chǎn de fù sū。

The recent rebound in mortgage rates could snuff out the housing recovery.
10
他笑了笑,不想让那个人产生抵触情绪。

tā xiào le xiào, , bù xiǎng ràng nà gè rén chǎn shēng dǐ chù qíng。

He smiled, not wanting to put the man on the defensive.

Word Family of 抵

Words Containing This Character20
抵抗dǐkàngto resist
抵达dǐdáto arrive抵達
抵dǐto support
抵押dǐyāto put up collateral
抵制dǐzhìto resist
抵挡dǐdǎngto resist抵擋
抵御dǐyùto resist抵禦
抵消dǐxiāoto counteract
抵触dǐchùto conflict抵觸
抵赖to disavow抵賴
抵债to repay a debt in kind or by labor抵債
抵押品mortgaged property
大抵by and large
抵抗力resistance
相抵to balance up
抵偿to compensate抵償
抵押物collateral (finance)
抵补to make good抵補
抵罪to be punished for a crime
抵充to use in payment
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 抵抗 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 抵

Common phrases include 抵押 (dǐyā, 'to mortgage') and 抵抗 (dǐkàng, 'to resist'). These phrases highlight its versatile usage in different contexts.

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