坨 meaning and stroke order
Lump, heap
How to write 坨, stroke by stroke
8 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 坨
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- mound; heap; lump
- classifier for small mounds (e.g. animal scat deposits)
- (of noodles, jiaozi 餃子|饺子[jiao3 zi5] etc) to stick together; to form a clump
How 坨 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Earth.
土 gives the meaning and 它 hints at the sound.
Radical: 土 (soil), shared by 183 characters on this site.
How to remember 坨
坨 combines earth 土 with 它 (tā), which gives the sound. Picture a pile of earth sitting there like a lump, and 它 reminds you it is read tuó.
坨 is mostly used as a measure word for soft lumps, like mud, dough, or animal droppings. It is also a verb for noodles or dumplings sticking into a clump after sitting too long. Example: 面条都坨了。(Miàntiáo dōu tuó le.) The noodles have all clumped together.
Common mistake: Learners often read 坨 as tā because of the 它 component, but it is tuó with a second tone. Do not confuse it with 驼 (tuó, camel) or 陀 (tuó), which share the sound but have different radicals.
坨 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 坨
How many strokes are in 坨?
坨 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 坨 mean?
坨 (tuó) means lump, heap.
How do you pronounce 坨?
坨 is pronounced tuó, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 坨?
The radical of 坨 is 土, which carries the idea of "soil". Dictionaries list 坨 under this radical.
Is 坨 a polite word?
It is casual and everyday, not rude by itself. Because it is often used for things like 一坨屎 (yì tuó shǐ, a lump of poop), it can sound blunt or funny when used for other things.
What is the difference between 坨 and 堆 (duī)?
堆 is a heap or pile of many things stacked together, like 一堆书 (a pile of books). 坨 is a single soft, sticky lump, like a lump of mud or clay.