曳 meaning and stroke order
To tow, to pull, to drag
How to write 曳, 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 曳
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to drag
- to pull
- Taiwan pr. [yi4]
How 曳 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 曰 (to speak), shared by 14 characters on this site.
How to remember 曳
Picture the box shape 曰 with a line pulled down through the bottom and a tail dragging off to the side. It looks like something being towed along behind, which fits the meaning to drag or pull, 曳 (yè).
曳 is mostly a written, literary character and rarely stands alone in speech. You will meet it most often in the word 摇曳 (yáoyè), used for things that sway or flicker softly. Example: 烛光摇曳。(Zhúguāng yáoyè.) The candlelight flickers.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 曳 with 申 (shēn) or 由 (yóu), which share the same box shape. Remember that 曳 has an extra slanting tail stroke on the lower right, like something being dragged.
Common words with 曳
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 摇曳 | yáoyè | to sway gently (as in the wind); (of a flame) to flicker |
曳 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 曳
Learning 曳 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 曳
How many strokes are in 曳?
曳 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 曳 mean?
曳 (yè) means to tow, to pull, to drag. A common word with it is 摇曳 (yáoyè), meaning "to sway gently (as in the wind); (of a flame) to flicker".
How do you pronounce 曳?
曳 is pronounced yè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 曳?
The radical of 曳 is 曰, which carries the idea of "to speak". Dictionaries list 曳 under this radical.
Is 曳 pronounced yè or yì?
In mainland Mandarin it is yè, with the fourth tone. In Taiwan it is commonly pronounced yì, also fourth tone.
Can I use 曳 instead of 拉 or 拖 in everyday speech?
Not really. For pulling or dragging in daily conversation, people say 拉 (lā) or 拖 (tuō). 曳 sounds literary and mostly appears in set words like 摇曳 or in written descriptions.