Definition
躺 (tǎng) is the everyday word for lying down or reclining — it focuses on the posture, not on sleeping. 卧 (wò) means the same but is more formal/literary (e.g. 卧室 'bedroom'). 睡 (shuì) specifically means 'to sleep', so you can 躺 without 睡.
verb
to lie downto recline
Easily confused
- 淌tǎnglook-aliketo drip, to trickle, to shed (tears)
- 糖tángsound-alikesugar, candy, sweets
- 趟tànglook-alike(classifier) for trips, journeys, or times of going somewhere and coming back
- 汤tāngsound-alikesoup
- 尚shànglook-alike(adverb) still, yet (formal)
- 烫tàngsound-alike(adjective) scalding hot, burning to the touch
- 堂tángsound-alike(noun) hall, large room for a specific purpose
Examples
- ，躺。Tài lèi le, wǒ xiǎng tǎng zài chuáng shàng xiūxi yíxià.I'm so tired, I want to lie down on the bed and rest a while.
- 躺。Tā xǐhuan tǎng zài shāfā shàng kàn shū.He likes to lie on the sofa and read.
- 躺，。Bié tǎng zhe, kuài qǐlái zuò zuòyè.Don't lie there — get up and do your homework.
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