错 meaning and stroke order
Mistake; wrong; bad
How to write 错, stroke by stroke
13 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 错
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- mistake
- wrong
- bad
- interlocking
- complex
- to grind
How 错 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Gold 钅 that once was 昔 but is lost.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 错
错 combines metal 钅 with 昔 (xī, former times). Picture gold that you once had in the past but have now lost, and losing your gold is a big mistake.
错 often follows a verb to show it was done wrongly, as in 写错 (xiě cuò, write wrongly) or 打错 (dǎ cuò, dial the wrong number). It is also very common in 不错 (bùcuò) and 没错 (méi cuò). Example: 你说错了。(Nǐ shuō cuò le.) You said it wrong.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 错 with 借 (jiè, to borrow), which has the same 昔 on the right but the person radical 亻 instead of metal 钅. Another trap is reading 不错 too literally. It usually means "pretty good," not just "not wrong."
Common words with 错
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 不错 | bùcuò | correct; right | HSK 2 |
| 错误 | cuòwù | mistaken; false; wrong; error; mistake | HSK 3 |
| 没错 | méi cuò | that's right; sure! | HSK 4 |
| 错过 | cuòguò | to miss (train, opportunity etc) | HSK 6 |
| 过错 | guòcuò | mistake; fault | HSK 7-9 |
| 认错 | rèncuò | to admit an error; to acknowledge one's mistake | HSK 7-9 |
| 差错 | chācuò | mistake; slip-up; fault; error; accident; mishap | HSK 7-9 |
| 错觉 | cuòjué | misconception; illusion | HSK 7-9 |
| 错综复杂 | cuòzōng-fùzá | tangled and complicated (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 错位 | cuòwèi | to be wrongly positioned; to be dislocated; to be misplaced; (medicine) to be in malpositi | HSK 7-9 |
| 错别字 | cuòbiézì | Chinese character error (collective term for 錯字|错字[cuo4 zi4] and 別字|别字[bie2 zi4]) | HSK 7-9 |
| 纵横交错 | zònghéng-jiāocuò | criss-crossed (idiom) | HSK 7-9 |
| 搞错 | gǎocuò | mistake; to make a mistake | |
| 弄错 | nòngcuò | to err; to get sth wrong |
错 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 错
How many strokes are in 错?
错 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 错 mean?
错 (cuò) means mistake; wrong; bad. A common word with it is 不错 (bùcuò), meaning "correct; right".
How do you pronounce 错?
错 is pronounced cuò, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 错?
The radical of 错 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 错 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 错?
The traditional form of 错 is 錯. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 错 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 错 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 错 is part of the HSK 1 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 1.
What is the difference between 错 and 错误?
错 is the everyday word and works as an adjective or after a verb, as in 你错了 (nǐ cuò le, you are wrong). 错误 (cuòwù) is more formal and is often used as a noun, as in 一个错误 (yí ge cuòwù, a mistake).
How do I say "I missed the train" with 错?
Use 错过 (cuòguò), which means to miss a chance or a ride: 我错过了火车。(Wǒ cuòguò le huǒchē.) I missed the train. It is for missed opportunities, not for missing a person emotionally, which is 想 (xiǎng).