错 cuò — mistake; error; blunder; fault; cross; uneven
这道题我做错了。Zhè dào tí wǒ zuò cuò le.I got this problem wrong.
Common words: 不错 (bù cuò)、错误 (cuò wù)、错过 (cuò guò)
Meaning Index
Chinese characters meaning "mistake"
Learn Chinese characters with the meaning "mistake", including 错 (cuò), 误 (wù). Study pinyin, English meanings, traditional forms, common words, and examples.
How to Study This Meaning Group
The English word "mistake" covers 2 different Chinese characters — 错 (cuò), 误 (wù) — and each is its own word with its own feel. These 2 characters do not share a sound — their readings span cuò, wù — so confirm the pinyin and tone for each one separately. The example sentences further down show how 错 and the others are actually used, so you learn them in context rather than as a single translation.
- 错 cuòmistake; error; blunder; fault; cross; unevenUseful words: 不错, 错误
- 误 wùmistake; error; to miss; to harm; to delay; to neglectUseful words: 错误, 误会
Common words for these 2 "mistake" characters
Anchor each of these 2 characters in a word you can picture — start with 错 (cuò) — so "mistake" turns into concrete usage instead of a one-to-one translation.
See each character in a sentence
Each character below is shown in a short example sentence with pinyin and an English translation — the quickest way to feel the difference between the 2 ways to say "mistake".
误 wù — mistake; error; to miss; to harm; to delay; to neglect
这次的错误让他记住了教训。Zhè cì de cuò wù ràng tā jì zhù le jiào xun.This mistake taught him a lesson.
Common words: 错误 (cuò wù)、误会 (wù huì)、失误 (shī wù)
All 2 characters
Open 错、误 or any character below to hear it read aloud and see it used in an example sentence.