退 meaning and stroke order
To retreat; to withdraw; to reject; to return (sth); to decline
How to write 退, 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.
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Meaning of 退
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to retreat; to withdraw
- to reject; to return (sth)
- to decline
How 退 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 艮 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 退
The walking radical 辶 shows movement, and 艮 (gèn) gives a hint of the sound. Picture someone walking backward along the road, stepping away from danger.
退 (tuì) means moving back or withdrawing, and it also covers giving something back, like returning a ticket or a purchase. It appears in many everyday words such as 退出 (tuìchū), 退休 (tuìxiū) and 退票 (tuìpiào). Example: 我爸爸去年退休了。(Wǒ bàba qùnián tuìxiū le.) My dad retired last year.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 退 (tuì) with 腿 (tuǐ, leg), which contains 退 as its sound part. The two sound almost the same but differ in tone, fourth versus third. Also, do not write 艮 as 良 (liáng). 艮 has no dot on top.
Common words with 退
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 退出 | tuìchū | to withdraw; to abort | HSK 3 |
| 退休 | tuìxiū | to retire (from the workforce); to go into retirement | HSK 3 |
| 退票 | tuìpiào | to bounce (a check); to return a ticket | HSK 6 |
| 后退 | hòutuì | to recoil; to draw back; to fall back; to retreat | HSK 7-9 |
| 退学 | tuìxué | to quit school | HSK 7-9 |
| 退缩 | tuìsuō | to shrink back; to cower | HSK 7-9 |
| 退役 | tuìyì | (of military personnel or athletes) to retire; (of outdated equipment) to be decommissione | HSK 7-9 |
| 退休金 | tuìxiūjīn | retirement pension; pension payments received after retirement | HSK 7-9 |
| 退回 | tuìhuí | to return (an item); to send back | HSK 7-9 |
| 衰退 | shuāituì | to decline; to fall | HSK 7-9 |
| 辞退 | cítuì | to dismiss; to discharge | HSK 7-9 |
| 退却 | tuìquè | to retreat; to shrink back | HSK 7-9 |
| 退让 | tuìràng | to move aside; to get out of the way | HSK 7-9 |
| 退后 | tuìhòu | to stand back; to go back (in time) |
退 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 退
Learning 退 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 退
How many strokes are in 退?
退 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 退 mean?
退 (tuì) means to retreat; to withdraw; to reject; to return (sth); to decline. A common word with it is 退出 (tuìchū), meaning "to withdraw; to abort".
How do you pronounce 退?
退 is pronounced tuì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 退?
The radical of 退 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 退 under this radical.
Is 退 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 退 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 3.
How do I say I want to return something to a shop?
Use 退货 (tuìhuò) for returning goods or 退钱 (tuìqián) for getting a refund. For example: 这件衣服可以退吗？(Zhè jiàn yīfu kěyǐ tuì ma?) Can I return this piece of clothing?
What is the difference between 退 and 回?
回 (huí) means to go back to a place, like going home. 退 (tuì) means to move backward or withdraw from a position or activity, so 后退 (hòutuì) is stepping back, while 回家 (huíjiā) is going home.