Chinese word

说错

Pronunciation

Pinyinshuō cuò

Meaning

  • verbsay wrong

Example

刚才我把名字说错了。gāng cái wǒ bǎ míng zì shuō cuò le

I said the name wrong just now.

Illustration for 说错 (say wrong)

More examples

朋友介绍时我紧张把对方的名字说错了。péng yǒu jiè shào shí wǒ jǐn zhāng bǎ duì fāng de míng zì shuō cuò le

When introducing a friend, I got nervous and said the other person's name wrong.

Core concept

Speech leaves the mouth but lands away from the facts or the speaker's intended meaning.

Common phrases

  • 把名字说错了bǎ míng zì shuō cuò le

    say the name wrong

  • 把别人的名字说错了bǎ bié rén de míng zì shuō cuò le

    say someone else's name wrong

Similar words

说错话shuō cuò huà: To speak the wrong word or expression when trying to say another one.
弄错nòng cuò: To identify one thing, person, or number as another by mistake.
听错tīng cuò: To hear words or sounds as something different from what was said or made.
记错jì cuò: To recall a fact or name in an incorrect way.

Definition in Chinese

把不正确或与事实、意图不相符的话说出来。bǎ bú zhèng què huò yǔ shì shí yì tú bù xiāng fú de huà shuō chū lái

Word origin

说错 (shuōcuò, "say wrong") combines 说 (shuō, "speak") and 错 (cuò, "wrong"), linking the act of speaking with a result that misses the facts or intended meaning.

Usage tips

  • English distinguishes between mispronouncing a name and giving the wrong name, but Chinese uses this verb for both kinds of spoken mismatch.

Opposites

  • 说对shuō duìsay correctlyverb

Related words

Word lists with this word