挡 meaning and stroke order
To resist; to obstruct; to hinder
How to write 挡, stroke by stroke
9 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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- 9
Meaning of 挡
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to resist
- to obstruct
- to hinder
- to keep off
- to block (a blow)
- to get in the way of
- to arrange
- to put in order
How 挡 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A hand 扌 raised at the right time 当; 当 also provides the pronunciation.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 挡
A hand 扌 goes up at just the right moment 当 to stop something coming at you. That raised hand is 挡 (dǎng), to block, and 当 (dāng) also gives the sound.
挡 is used for physically blocking things like wind, light, or a path, and also for holding back or resisting something. It often takes a result word, as in 挡住 (dǎngzhù). Example: 你挡着我了。(Nǐ dǎng zhe wǒ le.) You're in my way.
Common mistake: Learners often write 当 (dāng) when they mean 挡 because the two look and sound alike. If the meaning is to block or shield, you need the hand radical 扌. Also keep the third tone in 挡; it is not the first tone of 当.
Common words with 挡
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 阻挡 | zǔdǎng | to stop; to resist | HSK 7-9 |
| 抵挡 | dǐdǎng | to resist; to hold back | HSK 7-9 |
| 挡住 | dǎngzhù | to obstruct; to block | |
| 挡路 | dǎnglù | to be in the way; to block the path | |
| 挡风玻璃 | dǎngfēngbōli | windshield; wind screen | |
| 挡箭牌 | dǎngjiànpái | arrow-blocking shield; (fig.) pretext; cover; sth used to deflect blame, criticism or pres | |
| 势不可挡 | shìbùkědǎng | see 勢不可當|势不可当[shi4 bu4 ke3 dang1] | |
| 遮挡 | zhēdǎng | to shelter; to shelter from |
挡 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 挡
How many strokes are in 挡?
挡 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 挡 mean?
挡 (dǎng) means to resist; to obstruct; to hinder. A common word with it is 阻挡 (zǔdǎng), meaning "to stop; to resist".
How do you pronounce 挡?
挡 is pronounced dǎng, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 挡?
The radical of 挡 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 挡 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 挡?
The traditional form of 挡 is 擋 and 攩. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 挡 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 挡 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 挡 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 3.
What does 挡箭牌 (dǎngjiànpái) mean when people use it about a person?
Literally it is a shield against arrows. Figuratively it means an excuse or a person used to deflect blame, for example 别拿我当挡箭牌 (bié ná wǒ dàng dǎngjiànpái), don't use me as your excuse.
Does 挡 have a second pronunciation?
Yes. In the less common reading dàng it means to arrange or put in order. In everyday Chinese you will almost always say dǎng.