遞 (dì) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

遞

dì[di4]Tone 4

to hand over, to pass on, to deliver, progressively

HSK 4

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递

Guru Deep Dive

English · to hand over, to pass on, to deliver, progressively

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Topology:Semi-enclosure

Strokes:10

Writing Balance Rule: The walking enclosure radical (辶) must wrap firmly around the bottom and left side of the inner component (弟), keeping the overall silhouette balanced and not too spread out.

Simplification Logic: Simplified from 遞 to 递 by simplifying the internal component 弟 and adopting the standard simplified walking base 辶.

1. Meaning

to hand over or pass something to someone

to deliver or transmit (e.g. mail, messages)progressively or step-by-step (bound form)

VerbNeutral#movement#communication#transfer

Sample Usage

请把那本书递给我。
Qǐng bǎ nà běn shū dì gěi wǒ.
Please hand that book to me.
递交申请
dìjiāo shēnqǐng
to submit an application

2. Sound

/[ti⁵¹]/Tone: 51

遞

dìdi4

`(51)

=dì

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Alveolar

Sounds like: d sound in English 'do'

Unaspirated

Airflow Tactile Test: No puff of air. Tissue remains still (sounds like English 't' in 'stop').

Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge just behind the upper front teeth.

Final Rhyme

Vowel Group: -i vowel group

Sounds like: ee sound in English 'see'

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ee'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T4 (51)

5 → 1 (51)

4th Tone (High-Falling)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and drops sharply like a command or an abrupt 'No!' in English.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the fourth tone (dì) with the first tone (dī) or second tone (dí). Make sure the pitch starts high and plunges decisively.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp, decisive chop downward with your hand, mirroring the falling tone from high to low.

3. Writing

Topology: Semi-enclosure · Strokes: 10 strokes

Simplification Logic: Simplified from 遞 to 递 by simplifying the internal component 弟 and adopting the standard simplified walking base 辶.

4. Components

Radical 辶 · Walking Enclosure Radical (Movement, motion, or travel)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 辶 (Indicates movement or passing along an object)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 弟 (original sound: dì)

You are walking (辶) while handing your younger brother (弟) something important as you pass it along.

辶 movement / walking
弟 younger brother / phonetic clue

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

6· Phonetic Root: 虒 (sī)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally combined the walking movement radical (辵/辶) with the sound and base element 弟 to represent passing something along in motion.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from physical motion and passing along the road to general delivery of items, documents, and sequential progression.

The walking radical 辶 has evolved significantly across dynasties from pictographic footprints and roads.

6. Sinosphere

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: テイ / Kun: た.す

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

제

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

While walking down the street (辶), you **hand over** a parcel to your younger brother (**弟**).

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

弟

dìyounger brotherBase phonetic component without the walking radical.

梯

tīladderReplaces walking radical with wood radical (木) for a wooden ladder.

第

dìprefix for ordinal numbersAdds the bamboo top head (⺮) above the brother character.

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

弟(dì)

弟 lacks the walking enclosure (辶) on the outside.

第(dì)

第 has a bamboo crown (⺮) on top instead of a walking base.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

請把這份文件___給經理。

Clue: dì

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing 递 (dì) with 弟 (dì) or forgetting the correct posture of the walking radical 辶 when writing by hand.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: When you see 递, what action and sound come to mind?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to hand over / deliver' (dì)?

遞dìto hand over, to pass on, to deliver, progressively

Speed:

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