Chinese word

倒

Pronunciation

Pinyindǎo

Meaning

  • verbfall

Example

她在教室里突然倒了。tā zài jiào shì lǐ tū rán dǎo le

She suddenly fell in the classroom.

Illustration for 倒 (fall)

More examples

他一不小心就摔倒了。tā yí bù xiǎo xīn jiù shuāi dǎo le

He fell down by accident.

Core concept

A stable position is turned over or reversed, sending a body down, an object over, or contents out.

Common phrases

  • 摔倒shuāi dǎo

    fall down

  • 突然倒下tū rán dǎo xià

    suddenly fall over

  • 被风吹倒bèi fēng chuī dào

    be blown down

Similar words

摔倒shuāi dǎo: Fall hard onto the ground after losing balance.
跌倒diē dǎo: Lose footing through a slip or stumble and fall.

Definition in Chinese

从直立或稳定状态向一侧或向下翻转或倒下，强调由直立变为不稳或倒塌的过程。cóng zhí lì huò wěn dìng zhuàng tài xiàng yí cè huò xiàng xià fān zhuǎn huò dǎo xià qiáng diào yóu zhí lì biàn wéi bù wěn huò dǎo tā de guò chéng

Word origin

The written form combines 亻 (rén, "person") + 到 (dào, "arrive"); 到 mainly supplies the sound, while the character's meaning developed around a change from a settled position.

Usage tips

  • The third-tone reading dǎo describes going down or causing something to topple, while the fourth-tone reading dào is used for pouring and for contrast; the tone changes the meaning.

Other meanings

  • knock oververb
  • pourverb
  • insteadadverb

Opposites

  • 站起身zhàn qǐ shēnget upverb
  • 站稳zhàn wěnstand firmlyverb

Related words

Word lists with this word