How to write 错 (cuò, “mistake”)

错 (cuò), an HSK 2 character, means “mistake”, “wrong” and “bad”. It is HSK 2 in the 2025 syllabus, up from level 1 in the 2021 standard. The traditional form is 錯, 16 strokes instead of 13. On its own it is an HSK 2 word; it also forms 不错 (“correct”), 错过 (“to miss”) and 错误 (“mistaken”). Japanese keeps the traditional 錯, read saku (“confused”).

Pinyin: cuò
Strokes: 13
HSK: 2
Radical: 钅 (“metal”)
Traditional: 錯

Stroke by stroke

As a left-right character it splits into 钅 (“metal”, the radical), strokes 1–5; 昔 (“former times”), strokes 6–13, written the left part first.

top leftdown and left
top leftrightwards
leftrightwards
leftrightwards
leftdownwards → up and right
toprightwards
topdownwards
top rightdownwards
centerrightwards
centerdownwards
centerrightwards → downwards
bottomrightwards
bottomrightwards

Names of the strokes

Traditional form

Simplified: 错 · 13 strokes
Traditional: 錯 · 16 strokes · see its strokes

Simplified vs traditional

Trace it

Follow the numbers. Tracing help

Pinyin and meaning

Pinyin	Meanings	Traditional	In words
cuò fourth tone	mistake; wrong; bad; interlocking; complex	錯	不错错过错误认错

HSK 2025 syllabus: level 2
2021 standard: level 1
HSK 2.0: in a level 2 word
Words with it: 91 in CC-CEDICT

Words with 错

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
错錯	cuò	mistake; wrong HSK 2
不错不錯	búcuò	correct; right HSK 2
错过錯過	cuòguò	to miss (train, opportunity etc) HSK 4
错误錯誤	cuòwù	mistaken; false HSK 4
认错認錯	rèncuò	to admit an error; to acknowledge one's mistake HSK 6
错觉錯覺	cuòjué	misconception; illusion HSK 7-9
过错過錯	guòcuò	mistake; fault HSK 7-9
错位錯位	cuòwèi	to be wrongly positioned; to be dislocated HSK 7-9
错别字錯別字	cuòbiézì	Chinese character error… HSK 7-9
差错差錯	chācuò	mistake; slip-up HSK 7-9

HSK words first (CC-CEDICT).

Practice sheet

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Keep going

HSK 2, in list order: