丢 meaning and stroke order
To lose; to put aside; to throw
How to write 丢, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Meaning of 丢
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to lose
- to put aside
- to throw
How 丢 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A lost 厶 jade 玉.
Radical: 一 (one), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 丢
The top looks like 王, a stand-in for jade 玉 missing its dot, and below it sits 厶 (sī, private). Picture your private piece of jade slipping away: it is lost, 丢 (diū).
丢 (diū) is a common everyday verb for losing something or tossing it away, and it often pairs with a result word like 掉 or 了. It also appears in face-related phrases such as 丢脸 (diūliǎn) and 丢人 (diūrén). Example: 我的钥匙丢了。 (Wǒ de yàoshi diū le.) I lost my keys.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top as 王 with the first stroke flat. In 丢 the first stroke is a short falling stroke (撇), so the top is not simply 王. Also keep the first tone, diū, and do not confuse it with 去 (qù, to go), whose bottom is also 厶.
Common words with 丢
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
丢 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 丢
How many strokes are in 丢?
丢 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 丢 mean?
丢 (diū) means to lose; to put aside; to throw. A common word with it is 丢脸 (diūliǎn), meaning "to lose face; humiliation".
How do you pronounce 丢?
丢 is pronounced diū, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 丢?
The radical of 丢 is 一, which carries the idea of "one". Dictionaries list 丢 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 丢?
The traditional form of 丢 is 丟. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 丢 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 丢 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 丢 is part of the HSK 5 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 丢 and 失去?
丢 (diū) is casual and concrete, used for losing keys, phones, or wallets. 失去 (shīqù) is more formal and abstract, used for losing things like chances, hope, or loved ones.
Can 丢 mean to throw something to someone?
Yes. In spoken Chinese 丢 can mean to toss, as in 把球丢给我 (bǎ qiú diū gěi wǒ), throw the ball to me. 扔 (rēng) is the more common word for this in northern speech.