Chinese word

错别字

Pronunciation

Pinyincuò bié zì

Meaning

  • nountypo

Example

请检查这份报告有没有错别字。qǐng jiǎn chá zhè fèn bào gào yǒu méi yǒu cuò bié zì

Please check this report for typos.

Illustration for 错别字 (typo)

More examples

出稿前请让同事帮忙校对，减少错别字。chū gǎo qián qǐng ràng tóng shì bāng máng jiào duì jián shǎo cuò bié zì

Before submitting the draft, ask a colleague to proofread it to reduce typos.

Core concept

A small break in a text where the visible character is not the one the writer intended.

Common phrases

  • 检查错别字jiǎn chá cuò bié zì

    check for typos

  • 校对错别字jiào duì cuò bié zì

    proofread for typos

  • 圈出错别字quān chū cuò bié zì

    mark typos

Similar words

错字cuò zì: A Chinese character whose written form is incorrect.
别字bié zì: The use of an unintended Chinese character in place of the correct one.
笔误bǐ wù: A character mistake made accidentally during handwriting, typing, or input.
误字wù zì: One mistaken Chinese character appearing in a written text.

Definition in Chinese

在手写、打字或使用输入法时，把本应使用的汉字误写为同音字或形近字，导致文字不规范或产生歧义的现象。zài shóu xiě dǎ zì huò shǐ yòng shū rù fǎ shí bǎ běn yīng shǐ yòng de hàn zì wù xiě wèi tóng yīn zì huò xíng jìn zì dǎo zhì wén zì bù guī fàn huò chǎn shēng qí yì de xiàn xiàng

Word origin

错别字 (cuòbiézì, "wrong-character error") combines 错 (cuò, "wrong") + 别 (bié, "other") + 字 (zì, "written character"), framing the error as a different character used in place of the intended one.

Usage tips

  • In digital Chinese, an input method may offer several homophones, so checking a character's shape and meaning before sending helps catch this kind of error.

Related words

  • 错字cuò zìincorrect characternoun

Word lists with this word