Meaning of 掏
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to fish out (from pocket)
- to scoop
- variant of 掏[tao1]
How to use 掏
掏 (tāo) means to reach in and pull something out, usually from a pocket, bag or hole. It often appears with a result word, as in 掏出 (tāochū), or with money, as in 掏钱 (tāo qián). Example: 他从口袋里掏出手机。(Tā cóng kǒudai li tāochū shǒujī.) He took his phone out of his pocket.
掏 has the hand radical 扌 on the left, so it is an action you do with your hand. Picture your hand reaching into a deep pocket or pot on the right side and fishing something out.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 掏 (tāo) with 淘 (táo), which has the water radical 氵 and means to wash or sift, as in 淘宝 (Táobǎo). Remember that 掏 uses the hand radical and the first tone, while 淘 uses water and the second tone.
掏 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.
掏 tāo · to fish out · 11 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 掏.
Questions about 掏
What does 掏 mean?
掏 (tāo) means "to fish out (from pocket); to scoop" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 掏?
掏 is made of 1 character: 掏 (11 strokes). That is 11 strokes in total.
Is 掏 an HSK word?
Yes. 掏 is on the HSK 6 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 掏 and 拿?
拿 (ná) is a general word for taking or holding something. 掏 is more specific and means reaching into an enclosed space, like a pocket or bag, to get something out.
Does 掏钱 just mean to take out money?
It can mean that literally, but it usually means to pay or spend your own money. For example, 这次我掏钱 (zhè cì wǒ tāo qián) means "I will pay this time."