遏 meaning and stroke order
To curb, to check, to stop, to suppress
How to write 遏, stroke by stroke
12 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 遏
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to restrain
- to check
- to hold back
How 遏 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 曷 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 遏
遏 combines the walking radical 辶 (movement) with 曷 (hé), which gives the sound. Picture someone walking forward and being blocked so their movement is held back.
遏 is a formal, written-style character that rarely appears alone in speech. It shows up mainly in compounds like 遏制 (èzhì, to contain) and set phrases. Example: 政府采取措施遏制通货膨胀。(Zhèngfǔ cǎiqǔ cuòshī èzhì tōnghuò péngzhàng.) The government took measures to curb inflation.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 遏 with 竭 (jié, exhaust) or 喝 (hē, drink), since all share the 曷 part. Remember that 遏 has the walking radical 辶 and is read è with a falling fourth tone.
Common words with 遏
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 遏制 | èzhì | to check; to contain | HSK 7-9 |
遏 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 遏
How many strokes are in 遏?
遏 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 遏 mean?
遏 (è) means to curb, to check, to stop, to suppress. A common word with it is 遏制 (èzhì), meaning "to check; to contain".
How do you pronounce 遏?
遏 is pronounced è, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 遏?
The radical of 遏 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 遏 under this radical.
Is 遏 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 遏 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 遏制 and 抑制?
Both mean to hold back, but 遏制 (èzhì) is often used for stopping something from spreading or growing, like a trend, an epidemic, or a rival power. 抑制 (yìzhì) is more about suppressing feelings, reactions, or bodily processes, like 抑制情绪 (to suppress emotions).
Are there common idioms that use 遏?
Yes. A well known one is 怒不可遏 (nù bù kě è), meaning so angry that the anger cannot be held back. Another is 遏恶扬善 (è è yáng shàn), to suppress evil and promote good.