误 meaning and stroke order
Mistake; error; to miss
How to write 误, 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.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Meaning of 误
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- mistake
- error
- to miss
- to harm
- to delay
- to neglect
How 误 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Speech.
讠 gives the meaning and 吴 hints at the sound.
Radical: 讠 (words), shared by 144 characters on this site.
How to remember 误
误 is a pictophonetic character: the speech radical 讠 gives the meaning and 吴 (wú) gives the sound. Think of it as words 讠 that come out wrong, which is a mistake.
误 rarely stands alone and usually appears in words like 错误 (cuòwù, mistake), 误会 (wùhuì, to misunderstand) and 耽误 (dānwu, to delay). It covers both errors and the idea of missing or delaying something. Example: 你误会我了。(Nǐ wùhuì wǒ le.) You misunderstood me.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up the sound with 吴 (wú), but 误 is fourth tone wù. In 耽误 (dānwu) the 误 is usually read in the neutral tone, so do not stress it.
Common words with 误
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 错误 | cuòwù | mistaken; false; wrong; error; mistake | HSK 3 |
| 误会 | wùhuì | to misunderstand; to mistake | HSK 4 |
| 误解 | wùjiě | to misunderstand; misunderstanding | HSK 5 |
| 失误 | shīwù | lapse; mistake | HSK 5 |
| 耽误 | dānwu | to delay; to hold up | HSK 7-9 |
| 误导 | wùdǎo | to mislead; to misguide | HSK 7-9 |
| 延误 | yánwù | to postpone (with unfortunate consequences); to take too long (to do sth); to miss (a dead | HSK 7-9 |
| 误差 | wùchā | difference; error | HSK 7-9 |
| 误区 | wùqū | mistaken ideas; misconceptions; the error of one's ways | HSK 7-9 |
| 无误 | wúwù | verified; unmistaken | |
| 误入歧途 | wùrùqítú | to take a wrong step in life (idiom); to go astray | |
| 误杀 | wùshā | to mistakenly kill; manslaughter |
误 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 误
How many strokes are in 误?
误 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 误 mean?
误 (wù) means mistake; error; to miss. A common word with it is 错误 (cuòwù), meaning "mistaken; false; wrong; error; mistake".
How do you pronounce 误?
误 is pronounced wù, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 误?
The radical of 误 is 讠, which carries the idea of "words". Dictionaries list 误 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 误?
The traditional form of 误 is 誤. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 误 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 误 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 误 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What is the difference between 误会 and 误解?
Both mean to misunderstand. 误会 (wùhuì) is more everyday and often about someone's intentions. 误解 (wùjiě) sounds a bit more formal and is often about ideas or meaning.
Does 误 mean to miss something, like a train?
Yes. 误 can mean to miss because of a delay, as in 误了火车 (wù le huǒchē, missed the train). The word 延误 (yánwù) is used for delays with bad consequences, such as flight delays.