忒 meaning and stroke order
Excessive (in a bad way); to err, to make a mistake
How to write 忒, stroke by stroke
7 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
- 7
Meaning of 忒
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to err
- to change
- (dialect) too
- very
- also pr. [tui1]
How 忒 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Heart.
心 gives the meaning and 弋 hints at the sound.
Radical: 心 (heart), shared by 97 characters on this site.
How to remember 忒
The heart 心 (xīn) sits under 弋 (yì), which gives the sound. Picture a heart that drifts off target and errs, or goes too far.
In modern speech 忒 is mostly heard as the northern dialect word tēi (also said tuī), meaning "too" or "very," often with a complaining tone. Example: 这菜忒咸了。 (Zhè cài tēi xián le.) This dish is way too salty. The reading tè, meaning to err or change, appears mainly in classical texts.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 忒 with 武 (wǔ) or 式 (shì) because they share the 弋 part. In 忒 the bottom is 心, not 止 or 工. Also, saying tè when you mean the colloquial "too" sounds odd. Use tēi or tuī for that sense.
Questions about 忒
How many strokes are in 忒?
忒 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 忒 mean?
忒 (tè) means excessive (in a bad way); to err, to make a mistake.
How do you pronounce 忒?
忒 is pronounced tè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 忒?
The radical of 忒 is 心, which carries the idea of "heart". Dictionaries list 忒 under this radical.
Is 忒 the same as 太 (tài)?
In the colloquial sense they mean nearly the same thing, "too." 太 is standard and works everywhere. 忒 sounds informal and regional, especially in Beijing and northern China.
Where would I see the reading tè?
Mostly in classical or literary Chinese, where it means to err or to change. You may also meet it in transliterations, but everyday speakers rarely use tè.