HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1667, Very Hard
扯
chě
to tear
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1667, Very Hard
扯
chě
(of cloth, thread etc) to buy
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1667, Very Hard
扯
chě
to chat
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1667, Very Hard
扯
chě
to gossip
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1667, Very Hard
扯
chě
to rip, to tear; to haul; casual talk
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1667, Very Hard
扯
chě
(coll.) (Tw) ridiculous
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1667, Very Hard
扯
chě
hokey
HSK 7, unknown, 7 strokes, radical 扌, rank #1667, Very Hard
chě(che3) T3
1to pull
2to tear
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March 24, 2026
扯chě(che3)
The character 扯 (chě) primarily means 'to pull' or 'to tear,' often used in contexts involving physical action, such as pulling a thread or tearing fabric. Additionally, it is used informally to describe casual conversations or gossip, reflecting a more relaxed or playful tone. In some regions, it can also mean something that is considered ridiculous or nonsensical.
Strokes7Radical扌Frequency#1667DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In modern Chinese culture, casual conversations or 'chats' are an important part of social interaction, often used to build relationships and network. The informal usage of 扯 reflects this cultural tendency towards casual social engagement.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person pulling a thread (扯) from an old shirt, causing it to tear. The sound of 'chě' can be associated with the sound of a thread snapping. Visualize this scene whenever you hear or see the character to help you remember its meaning.
Meanings of 扯
chě(che3)
1to pull
2to tear
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 扯
扯Simplified
7Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1667Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5BCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 扯
Podcast: 扯
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AI Study Notes for 扯
Quick Contrast
扯 (pull) vs 拉 (pull, draw) — use 扯 for a more informal or playful context.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 扯 with similar-sounding characters, so it's important to pay attention to context to avoid misunderstandings. This word is primarily used in casual conversation, making it less suitable for formal contexts. Common collocations include 扯闲话 (chě xiánhuà) meaning 'to chat casually' and 扯破 (chě pò) meaning 'to tear apart.'
HSK Study Tips
While 扯 is not included in the official HSK levels, it connects with other verbs related to physical actions or communication, such as 拉 (lā, to pull) and 谈 (tán, to talk). Students should focus on using this word in conversational practice to build fluency.
Common Mistakes
Learners may mistakenly use 扯 in formal situations, leading to awkwardness. For example, saying 扯闲话 in a business meeting would be inappropriate; instead, use 谈话 (tánhuà) for a more formal tone.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 扯
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Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 止 represents the sound. Simplified form of 撦.
1The meaning half扌 carries the sense.
2The sound half止 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayhand
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 扯? 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 扯?
Decomposition of 扯
IDS Structure⿰扌止
扯Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
止zhi3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 扯?
How to say to pull in Chinese
“to pull” in Chinese is扯chě
The character 扯 (chě) primarily means 'to pull' or 'to tear,' often used in contexts involving physical action, such as pulling a thread or tearing fabric. Additionally, it is used informally to describe casual conversations or gossip, reflecting a more relaxed or playful tone. In some regions, it can also mean something that is considered ridiculous or nonsensical.
When to use 扯
Learners often confuse 扯 with similar-sounding characters, so it's important to pay attention to context to avoid misunderstandings. This word is primarily used in casual conversation, making it less suitable for formal contexts. Common collocations include 扯闲话 (chě xiánhuà) meaning 'to chat casually' and 扯破 (chě pò) meaning 'to tear apart.'
扯 or something close to it
扯 (pull) vs 拉 (pull, draw) — use 扯 for a more informal or playful context.
What learners get wrong
Learners may mistakenly use 扯 in formal situations, leading to awkwardness. For example, saying 扯闲话 in a business meeting would be inappropriate; instead, use 谈话 (tánhuà) for a more formal tone.
Write 扯
扯
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Practice writing 扯 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 扯
扯 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 8 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.
