Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
扯 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
扯
chě
to pull
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)che T3
1to pull
2to tear
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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
By ear
Play it, then pick what 扯 means.
About 扯
扯Simplified
7Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#1667Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5BCT✓CEFRC2
Podcast: 扯
Podcast: 扯
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
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
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 扯, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 扯 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 扯?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 扯 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.
扯 = 扌 + 止. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 扯
IDS Structure⿰扌止
扯Full character
=
扌shou3
left
止zhi3
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part 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
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 扯 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 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.
