倘 meaning and stroke order
If, supposing, in event of
How to write 倘, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 倘
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- if; supposing; in case
- used in 倘佯[chang2 yang2]
How 倘 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Person.
亻 gives the meaning and 尚 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 倘
倘 combines the person radical 亻 with 尚 (shàng), which gives the sound. Picture a person standing beside 尚 and asking "what if," since a person is the one who imagines possibilities.
倘 means "if" and belongs to formal or written Chinese, most often in the word 倘若 (tǎngruò). In everyday speech people usually say 如果 (rúguǒ) instead. Example: 倘若明天下雨，我们就不去了。(Tǎngruò míngtiān xià yǔ, wǒmen jiù bú qù le.) If it rains tomorrow, we won't go.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 倘 (tǎng) with 躺 (tǎng, to lie down), which has the same sound and the same 尚 part but uses the body radical 身. Also avoid 淌 (tǎng, to drip), which has the water radical 氵.
Common words with 倘
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 倘若 | tǎngruò | if; supposing; in case | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 倘
How many strokes are in 倘?
倘 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 倘 mean?
倘 (tǎng) means if, supposing, in event of. A common word with it is 倘若 (tǎngruò), meaning "if; supposing; in case".
How do you pronounce 倘?
倘 is pronounced tǎng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 倘?
The radical of 倘 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 倘 under this radical.
Is 倘 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 倘 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 倘若 and 如果?
Both mean "if." 如果 (rúguǒ) is neutral and used in speech and writing, while 倘若 (tǎngruò) sounds more formal and literary. Using 倘若 in casual conversation can sound stiff.
When is 倘 pronounced cháng?
倘 is read cháng only in the word 倘佯 (chángyáng), meaning to stroll or wander freely. This word is rare and usually written as 徜徉 today, so tǎng is the reading you will meet almost every time.