臺 meaning and stroke order
Platform; unit; term of address
How to write 臺, stroke by stroke
14 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 臺
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- platform
- stage
- terrace
- stand
- support
- station
How 臺 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A man 吉 standing on a raised 至 dais 冖.
Radical: 至 (reach), shared by 4 characters on this site.
How to remember 臺
Picture a person 吉 standing on top, a cover 冖 in the middle, and 至 (zhì, to arrive) at the bottom as the raised dais he has reached. Someone who arrives up on a raised dais is standing on a platform or stage, 臺 (tái).
臺 is the traditional form used in Taiwan and Hong Kong, while mainland China writes 台 in words like 舞台 (wǔtái, stage) and 电视台 (diànshìtái, TV station). It names raised places and stations, such as balconies, steps and broadcasters. Example: 他站在臺上唱歌。(Tā zhàn zài tái shàng chàng gē.) He is singing on the stage.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up the bottom part 至 with 室 (shì, room) or forget the 冖 cover between 吉 and 至. Also do not confuse 臺 with 檯 (tái, table or counter), which has the wood radical 木 and is used in some traditional texts for desks and counters.
Common words with 臺
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 舞臺 | wǔtái | (lit. and fig.) stage; arena | HSK 3 |
| 電臺 | diàntái | transmitter-receiver; broadcasting station | HSK 3 |
| 電視臺 | diànshìtái | television station | HSK 3 |
| 臺上 | táishàng | on stage | HSK 4 |
| 陽臺 | yángtái | balcony; porch | HSK 4 |
| 臺階 | táijiē | steps; flight of steps | HSK 4 |
| 窗臺 | chuāngtái | windowsill; window ledge | HSK 4 |
| 平臺 | píngtái | platform; terrace | HSK 6 |
| 站臺 | zhàntái | platform (at a railway station); (Tw) (of an influential person) to publicly endorse or ca | HSK 6 |
| 出臺 | chūtái | to officially launch (a policy, program etc); to appear on stage | HSK 6 |
| 前臺 | qiántái | stage; proscenium | HSK 7-9 |
| 下臺 | xiàtái | to go off the stage; to fall from position of prestige | HSK 7-9 |
| 茅臺 | Máotái | maotai liquor 茅臺酒|茅台酒[mao2 tai2 jiu3] | HSK 7-9 |
| 茅臺酒 | Máotáijiǔ | maotai (a strong spirit produced in Guizhou) | HSK 7-9 |
Characters that contain 臺
Learning 臺 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 臺
How many strokes are in 臺?
臺 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 臺 mean?
臺 (tái) means platform; unit; term of address. A common word with it is 舞台 (wǔtái), meaning "(lit. and fig.) stage; arena".
How do you pronounce 臺?
臺 is pronounced tái, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 臺?
The radical of 臺 is 至, which carries the idea of "reach". Dictionaries list 臺 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 臺?
臺 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 台, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 臺 used in the name Taiwan?
Yes. Taiwan is often written 臺灣 (Táiwān) in traditional characters, though 台灣 with the simpler 台 is also very common in Taiwan itself. In simplified Chinese it is 台湾.
Can 臺 be used as a measure word?
Yes, the simplified form 台 is commonly used as a measure word for machines and devices, as in 一台电脑 (yì tái diànnǎo, one computer). In traditional writing you will see both 臺 and 台 in this use.