倒
dǎo, dào
Description
"倒"有两个读音，读dǎo的时候，意思是东西或者人从站着变成躺下，比如摔倒、树倒了。
"倒" has two pronunciations. When read as dǎo, it means something or someone falls from standing to lying down, like 摔倒 (fall down) or 树倒了 (the tree fell).
读dào的时候，常常表示把东西倒出来，或者方向、顺序反了。
When read as dào, "倒" often means to pour something out or that the direction or order is reversed.
Meanings
倒dǎo
to fall down; to topple over
他不小心摔倒了。
He accidentally fell down.
倒dào
to pour out; to empty out
请帮我倒一杯水。
Please help me pour a glass of water.
倒dào
reversed; upside down; backwards
这个字你写倒了。
You wrote this character upside down.
Related words
Notes
- Nuance
dǎo means to fall/collapse; dào means to pour, invert, or reverse.
- Etymology
the tone difference distinguishes intransitive falling (dǎo) from transitive pouring/reversing (dào).
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