蹋 meaning and stroke order
To step on, to tread on
How to write 蹋, stroke by stroke
17 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 蹋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to step on
How 蹋 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Foot.
足 gives the meaning and 日 hints at the sound.
Radical: 足 (foot), shared by 119 characters on this site.
How to remember 蹋
On the left is the foot radical 足 (zú), which tells you the meaning is about feet. On the right, picture the sun 日 (rì) above a pair of wings 羽 (yǔ): a foot comes down and treads on something lying in the sunlight.
蹋 (tà) almost never appears alone in modern Chinese. You will meet it mainly in the word 糟蹋 (zāotà), meaning to waste, spoil, or ruin something, and sometimes to mistreat a person. Example: 别糟蹋粮食。(Bié zāotà liángshi.) Don't waste food.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 蹋 with 踏 (tà), which has the same sound and also means to step on. 踏 is the everyday character for stepping, as in 踏上 (tàshàng). 蹋 is used in 糟蹋. Also note that 蹋 is often read in the neutral tone in 糟蹋 (zāota) in casual speech.
Common words with 蹋
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 糟蹋 | zāotà | to waste; to spoil; to ruin; to wreck |
蹋 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 蹋
How many strokes are in 蹋?
蹋 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 蹋 mean?
蹋 (tà) means to step on, to tread on. A common word with it is 糟蹋 (zāotà), meaning "to waste; to spoil; to ruin; to wreck".
How do you pronounce 蹋?
蹋 is pronounced tà, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 蹋?
The radical of 蹋 is 足, which carries the idea of "foot". Dictionaries list 蹋 under this radical.
What is the difference between 蹋 and 踏?
Both are read tà and relate to stepping. 踏 is the common character for literally stepping on or setting foot on something. 蹋 is mostly limited to the fixed word 糟蹋.
Can 糟蹋 be used about people?
Yes. Besides wasting things, 糟蹋 can mean to mistreat, insult, or ruin a person, for example 糟蹋自己的身体 (zāotà zìjǐ de shēntǐ), to ruin one's own health.