Meaning
surname; (classical) you (in letters); platform; Taiwan (abbr.); desk; platform
Chinese: 平台、桌台；也可指台湾或作量词。
Hear the Four Tones
The same syllable “tai” becomes a different word in each tone. 台 is the 2nd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.
Stroke Order
Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.
Common Words
- 舞台wǔ tái(lit. and fig.) stage; arena
- 电视台diàn shì táitelevision station
- 电台diàn táitransmitter-receiver; broadcasting station; radio station
- 台上tái shàngon stage
- 阳台yáng táibalcony; porch
Example Sentence
演员们正在台上表演。Yǎn yuán men zhèng zài tái shàng biǎo yǎn.The actors are performing on the stage.
演员Yǎn yuánactor们men(plural marker)正zhèngfirst month of the lunar y在台zài táiin Taiwan (used attributiv上shàngon表演biǎo yǎnplay。
Go deeper
Where this character comes from
厶 over 口. Simplified, it covers 臺 ‘a platform, terrace, stage’ (舞台), 檯 ‘a stand, desk’ (写字台), and 颱 ‘typhoon’; it is also the measure word for machines (一台电脑) and short for 台湾 (Taiwan).
A way to remember it
A platform / stage (舞台); the measure word for machines (一台).