倒

• Pinyin: dǎo
• Hanzi breakdown: 倒 = 亻(person radical) + 到 (arrive, phonetic component)

Meaning

To fall; to collapse; to topple over.

Primarily means to fall down or collapse. Used for people falling, buildings collapsing, trees toppling, or businesses going bankrupt. Also used in compound verbs like 倒下 (to fall down) and 倒闭 (to go bankrupt). Note: has a different pronunciation dào meaning 'to pour.'

Examples

1. 风太大了，树被吹倒了。 The wind was too strong and blew the tree over.
2. 他跑得太快，不小心摔倒了。 He ran too fast and accidentally fell down.
3. 那座旧房子终于倒了。 That old house finally collapsed.

Usage Guide

Context: accidents, weather events, everyday

Tone: neutral, descriptive

Do Say

• 小心别摔倒了。(Be careful not to fall down.)
• 地震把房子震倒了。(The earthquake knocked the house down.)

Don't Say

• 不要混淆 dǎo 和 dào — 倒 as dǎo means to fall; as dào it means to pour or to reverse. The meaning changes completely with the tone.

Origin & History

Composed of 亻(person) and 到 (arrive). The character visually suggests a person who has arrived at the ground — fallen over.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal