Meaning of 拆除
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to tear down
- to demolish
- to dismantle
- to remove
How to use 拆除
拆除 is a fairly formal verb used for buildings, structures, and installed equipment, often in news or official notices. Example: 这栋旧楼下个月就要拆除了。(Zhè dòng jiù lóu xià ge yuè jiù yào chāichú le.) This old building will be torn down next month.
拆 (chāi) has the hand radical 扌, so picture a hand pulling something apart. 除 (chú) means to remove, so 拆除 is using your hands to take something apart and clear it away.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 拆 (chāi) with 折 (zhé, to fold or break). They look similar, but 拆 has an extra dot inside the right side. Also avoid using 拆除 for opening small things like a gift; for that, use 拆开 (chāikāi).
拆除 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
拆 chāi · to tear open · 8 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
除 chú · to get rid of · 9 strokes
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
Related words
Words that share a character with 拆除.
| 除了 | chúle | apart from; besides; in addition to (used to exclude, as in 除了他，誰也沒來|除了他，谁也没来[chu2 le5 ta1 |
| 除非 | chúfēi | only if (..., or otherwise, ...); only when |
| 解除 | jiěchú | to remove; to sack |
| 消除 | xiāochú | to eliminate; to remove |
| 排除 | páichú | to eliminate; to remove |
| 除夕 | chúxī | lunar New Year's Eve |
| 拆迁 | chāiqiān | to demolish a building and relocate the inhabitants |
| 开除 | kāichú | to expel (a member of an organization); to fire (an employee) |
| 清除 | qīngchú | to clear away; to eliminate |
| 删除 | shānchú | to delete; to cancel |
| 除此之外 | chúcǐzhīwài | apart from this; in addition to this |
| 切除 | qiēchú | to excise; to cut out (a tumor) |
Questions about 拆除
What does 拆除 mean?
拆除 (chāichú) means "to tear down; to demolish" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 拆除?
拆除 is made of 2 characters: 拆 (8 strokes), 除 (9 strokes). That is 17 strokes in total.
Is 拆除 an HSK word?
Yes. 拆除 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 拆除 and 消除?
拆除 (chāichú) is for physically taking down structures or equipment, like walls or signs. 消除 (xiāochú) is for eliminating abstract things, such as worries, misunderstandings, or risks.
Why do I see the character 拆 painted on walls in China?
A large 拆 on a building marks it for demolition. It is a short form of 拆除 or 拆迁 (chāiqiān, to demolish and relocate residents).