滴

• Pinyin: dī
• Hanzi breakdown: 滴 = 氵(water) + 啇 (phonetic) — representing drops of water

Meaning

To drip; a drop (of liquid). As a verb, describes liquid falling in drops; as a measure word, counts drops of liquid.

Versatile word used both for the action of dripping and as a measure word for small amounts of liquid. Common in medical contexts for IV drips, in poetry for rain or tears, and in everyday speech for counting drops. Also appears in the idiom 滴水穿石 meaning persistent effort yields results.

Examples

1. 屋顶漏水了，雨水一滴一滴地落在地板上，声音特别烦人。 The roof is leaking, and rainwater is dripping onto the floor one drop at a time — the sound is really annoying.
2. 医生让护士给病人滴了几滴眼药水，缓解眼睛干涩的症状。 The doctor had the nurse put a few drops of eye drops in the patient's eyes to relieve the dryness.
3. 我在咖啡里加了两滴香草精，味道立刻变得更加香甜。 I added two drops of vanilla extract to my coffee, and the flavor immediately became sweeter.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, daily life, literature

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 水龙头在滴水，快关紧点。(The faucet is dripping, turn it tighter.)
• 加一滴醋就够了。(Just add one drop of vinegar.)

Don't Say

• 一滴大雨。(For heavy rain, use 场 not 滴 — 滴 is only for small drops)

Origin & History

Onomatopoeia mimicking the sound of dripping water. The character combines 氵(water radical) with 啇 (phonetic component), visually representing liquid drops.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal