躺 (tǎng) — to lie down, to recline
Definition
躺 is just the posture of lying down — not sleeping (that's 睡). Written/literary 卧 means the same pose but is far more formal.
verb
to lie downto recline
Easily confused
Examples
- ，躺。Tài lèi le, wǒ xiǎng tǎng zài chuáng shàng xiū xi yí xià.I'm so tired, I want to lie down on the bed and rest a while.
- 躺。Tā xǐ huan tǎng zài shā fā shàng kàn shū.He likes to lie on the sofa and read.
- 躺，。Bié tǎng zhe, kuài qǐ lái zuò zuò yè.Don't lie there — get up and do your homework.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
躺 pairs 身 (body) with 尚, which gives its sound.
Appears in
Browse more HSK 4 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.