误

• Pinyin: wù
• Hanzi breakdown: 误 = 讠(speech) + 吴 (Wu, phonetic). The speech radical suggests the original meaning related to verbal mistakes

Meaning

To miss; to delay; to harm; mistake. Indicates missing something, causing delay, or making errors.

As a verb, commonly used in compounds like 耽误 (delay), 误解 (misunderstand), 误会 (misunderstanding). Can mean to miss a scheduled event (误点/误机/误车) or to harm through error. Also used as a bound morpheme in many formal words.

Examples

1. 别再聊了，再聊下去就要误火车了。 Stop chatting, or we'll miss the train if we keep talking.
2. 由于大雾天气，今天有好几趟航班误点了。 Due to heavy fog, several flights were delayed today.
3. 她不小心误删了一份重要的工作文件。 She accidentally deleted an important work document.

Usage Guide

Context: transportation, work, everyday

Tone: concerned

Do Say

• 千万别误了飞机。(Make sure you don't miss the flight.)
• 这件事被误传了。(This matter has been mistakenly spread.)

Don't Say

• 我误了一个苹果 — 误不能用于'吃错'的意思，应该说'我吃错了'

Origin & History

Composed of 讠(speech radical) + 吴 (phonetic component). Originally related to speech errors or mistakes in communication, later extended to all types of errors or delays.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal