邋 meaning and stroke order
Sloppy; rags
How to write 邋, stroke by stroke
18 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 邋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- used in 邋遢[la1 ta5]
How 邋 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Walk.
辶 gives the meaning and 巤 hints at the sound.
Radical: 辶 (to walk), shared by 131 characters on this site.
How to remember 邋
邋 is built from 辶 (walk) wrapped around 巤, which gives the sound. Picture someone walking along the street with messy, tangled hair like the busy strokes of 巤, looking sloppy.
邋 almost never appears alone. It lives in the word 邋遢 (lāta), meaning sloppy, scruffy or messy, used for people, clothes or rooms. Example: 他穿得很邋遢。(Tā chuān de hěn lāta.) He is dressed very sloppily.
Common mistake: Learners often read 邋遢 as lā tà with a full fourth tone on the second syllable, but in standard speech 遢 is light and neutral: lāta. Also do not confuse the inner part 巤 with 鼠 (shǔ, mouse), which looks similar at the bottom.
Common words with 邋
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 邋遢 | lāta | unkempt |
Questions about 邋
How many strokes are in 邋?
邋 is written with 18 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 邋 mean?
邋 (lā) means sloppy; rags. A common word with it is 邋遢 (lāta), meaning "unkempt".
How do you pronounce 邋?
邋 is pronounced lā, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 邋?
The radical of 邋 is 辶, which carries the idea of "to walk". Dictionaries list 邋 under this radical.
Is 邋遢 rude to say about someone?
It is a direct criticism, similar to calling someone scruffy or a slob in English. Friends and family use it casually, but saying it to a stranger or a colleague can sound rude.
What is the opposite of 邋遢?
Common opposites are 整洁 (zhěngjié, neat and tidy) and 干净 (gānjìng, clean). For a person's appearance you can also say 利落 (lìluo, neat and smart).