逃

táo

兆 + 辶

HSK 2.0Level 5

HSK 3.0Level 6

Frequency#996

Definitions

táo (verb) to escape; to flee; to run away

Etymology

Originally written as 兆, a pictograph of two people escaping a flood. The 辶 (walk) component was added later to clarify the meaning.

Semantic: 辶 Phonetic: 兆

About

The character "逃" combines the movement radical "辶" with the phonetic component "兆", structurally indicating an action related to motion while guiding pronunciation. Its primary meaning has always been to flee or escape, but over centuries its application extended to include more abstract concepts such as avoiding or evading situations. This semantic broadening occurred while the character's form remained consistent, with the "辶" radical continually emphasizing action and the "兆" element serving as a phonetic anchor.

Etymology Hide

Bronze Late Warring States (~250 BC)

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

兔子逃走了。

Tùzi táozǒu le.

The rabbit ran away.

他逃避问题。

Tā táobì wèntí.

He avoids problems.

罪犯逃跑了。

Zuìfàn táopǎo le.

The criminal escaped.

小鸟从笼子里逃出来了。

Xiǎo niǎo cóng lóngzi lǐ táo chūlái le.

The little bird escaped from the cage.

他试图逃避责任。

Tā shìtú táobì zérèn.

He tried to evade responsibility.

在警察到来之前，小偷逃走了。

Zài jǐngchá dàolái zhīqián, xiǎotōu táozǒu le.

Before the police arrived, the thief ran away.

战争爆发后，许多人逃离了家乡。

Zhànzhēng bàofā hòu, xǔduō rén táolí le jiāxiāng.

After the war broke out, many people fled their hometown.

面对困难，我们不能选择逃避。

Miànduì kùnnan, wǒmen bù néng xuǎnzé táobì.

Facing difficulties, we cannot choose to escape.

Related Characters

Component: 兆

Component: 辶

逃