溜 meaning and stroke order
To slip away; to escape in stealth; to skate
How to write 溜, stroke by stroke
13 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 溜
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to slip away
- to escape in stealth
- to skate
- swift current; rapids
- (dialect) (of speech, actions etc) skilled; proficient; (of movements) quick; speedy
- (bound form) rain runoff from a roof
- (bound form) roof gutter
- classifier for rows, lines etc
- surroundings; neighborhood
How 溜 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 留 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 溜
溜 is water 氵 plus 留 (liú), which gives the sound. Picture water that will not stay (留) in place and keeps slipping and sliding away.
As liū it means to slip, slide, or sneak away, and it appears in everyday words like 溜走 (liūzǒu) and 溜冰 (liūbīng). A common casual word is 溜达 (liūda), to stroll. Example: 他趁老师不注意溜走了。(Tā chèn lǎoshī bù zhùyì liūzǒu le.) He slipped away while the teacher wasn't looking.
Common mistake: Learners often write 留 (liú, to stay) when they mean 溜 because they share the same right side. Remember that 溜 needs the water radical 氵, and its tone is first tone liū, not second tone like 留.
Common words with 溜
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
溜 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 溜
How many strokes are in 溜?
溜 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 溜 mean?
溜 (liū) means to slip away; to escape in stealth; to skate. A common word with it is 溜达 (liūda), meaning "to stroll; to go for a walk".
How do you pronounce 溜?
溜 is pronounced liū, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 溜?
The radical of 溜 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 溜 under this radical.
Is 溜 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 溜 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
When is 溜 pronounced liù instead of liū?
It is read liù in meanings like rapids, roof gutter, and as a measure word for rows, as in 一溜房子 (yí liù fángzi), a row of houses. It is also liù in the set phrase 随大溜 (suí dàliù), to follow the crowd. In dialect speech, 溜 (liù) can also mean fluent or skilled, as in 说得很溜 (shuō de hěn liù), speaks very fluently.
Is 溜冰 safe to use in conversation?
Yes. 溜冰 (liūbīng) normally just means ice skating or roller skating. Be aware that it is also slang for taking meth, so the context matters.