Definition
倒 (dǎo) broadly means to fall, collapse, fail, or overthrow. 倒塌 (dǎo tā) specifically refers to buildings or structures collapsing. 倒闭 (dǎo bì) is the formal term for a business going bankrupt; 倒 can also mean 'go bankrupt' but is less specific. 打倒 (dǎ dǎo) emphasizes an active push to knock down or overthrow a regime.
verb
to fallto topple overto collapseto failto go bankruptto overthrow (a regime, government)
Easily confused
- 到dàolook-alike(verb) to arrive at, to reach (a place or time)
- 道dàosound-alike(noun) road, path; principle, morality; method, skill; the Dao (of Daoism)
- 岛dǎosound-alikeisland
- 刀dāosound-alikeknife; blade
- 盗dàosound-aliketo steal, to rob, to plunder (formal; often used in compounds)
Examples
- 倒。Dà fēng bǎ shù chuī dǎo le.The strong wind blew the tree down.
- 。Nà jiā gōngsī dǎobì le.That company went bankrupt.
- 。Tāmen tuī dǎo le nà dǔ jiù qiáng.They pushed down that old wall.
Grammar
Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.