错 cuò mistake
mistake; wrong
How to remember 错: 钅 gold + 昔 the old days = mistake. The jeweller pays for a gold ring from the old days that turns out to be brass, a costly mistake.
Component breakdown
错 = 钅 gold + 昔 the old days
- 钅 gold
- 昔 the old days
The jeweller pays for a gold ring from the old days that turns out to be brass, a costly mistake.
How it is used
- "Wrong/mistake" - 错了 (cuò le) that's wrong, 错误 (cuòwù) an error, 认错 (rèncuò) admit fault.
- As a result ending it means "did it wrong": 说错 (shuōcuò) misspeak, 写错 (xiěcuò) miswrite, 走错 (zǒucuò) go the wrong way.
- Trap: 不错 (búcuò) is NOT "not wrong" but a warm "pretty good" - 这个不错 (zhège búcuò) this is nice. Also 错过 (cuòguò) = miss (an opportunity).
Words with 错
- 不错búcuònot badHSK 2
- 错误cuòwùerrorHSK 4
- 错过cuòguòto miss (train, opportunity etc)HSK 4
- 认错rèncuòto admit an errorHSK 6
- 差错chācuòmistakeHSK 7
- 过错guòcuòmistakeHSK 7
- 错位cuòwèito be wrongly positionedHSK 7
- 错别字cuòbiézìincorrectly written or mispronounced charactersHSK 7
- 错觉cuòjuémisconceptionHSK 7
- 错综复杂cuòzōng-fùzátangled and complicated (idiom)HSK 9
Example sentences
- 我认为你错了。 Wǒ rènwéi nǐ cuò le.I think you're wrong.
- 他做错了事，很后悔。 Tā zuòcuòle shì, hěn hòuhuǐ.He has done wrong and regrets it very much.
- 他很粗心，工作中常犯错。 Tā hěn cūxīn, gōngzuò zhōng cháng fàncuò.He is so careless that he often makes mistakes at work.
- 今天早上天气不错。 Jīntiān zǎoshang tiānqì búcuò.It's sunny this morning.