掉

diào

卓 + 扌

HSK 2.0Level 4

HSK 3.0Level 4

Definitions

diào (verb) to fall; to drop

diào (verb) to lose; to go missing

diào (verb) to decrease; to reduce

diào (verb) to wag; to swing

diào (particle) (used after verbs to indicate completion)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 卓 represents the sound.

Semantic: 扌 Phonetic: 卓

About

掉 (diào) is a phonosemantic compound formed from the hand radical 扌 (shǒu, hand) and the phonetic element 卓 (zhuó). The hand radical indicates that the character relates to actions involving the hands. Its core meanings are dropping, letting something slip, and falling. In a broader sense, it can also mean turning, losing, or changing direction. Additionally, 掉 frequently appears as a verbal complement attached to other verbs, signifying that an action is entirely completed or something is thoroughly removed.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

苹果从树上掉下来了。

Píngguǒ cóng shù shàng diào xiàlái le.

The apple fell down from the tree.

我的笔掉在地上了。

Wǒ de bǐ diào zài dì shàng le.

My pen fell on the ground.

请把垃圾扔掉。

Qǐng bǎ lājī rēng diào.

Please throw away the garbage.

他跑得太快，帽子都跑掉了。

Tā pǎo de tài kuài, màozi dōu pǎo diào le.

He ran so fast that his hat fell off.

我忘记关掉电视了。

Wǒ wàngjì guān diào diànshì le.

I forgot to turn off the TV.

这个消息让他高兴得差点跳起来，烦恼全忘掉了。

Zhège xiāoxī ràng tā gāoxìng de chàdiǎn tiào qǐlái, fánnǎo quán wàng diào le.

This news made him so happy he almost jumped up, forgetting all his worries.

为了减肥，她改掉了吃夜宵的习惯。

Wèile jiǎnféi, tā gǎi diào le chī yèxiāo de xíguàn.

To lose weight, she broke the habit of eating midnight snacks.

他紧张得话都说不利索了，差点把重要的事情忘掉。

Tā jǐnzhāng de huà dōu shuō bú lìsuo le, chàdiǎn bǎ zhòngyào de shìqíng wàng diào.

He was so nervous that he stumbled over his words and almost forgot the important matter.

Related Characters

Component: 卓

Component: 扌

掉