How do you pronounce 地?

地 is pronounced "de" in Mandarin Chinese. The tone number is 5.

What HSK level is 地?

地 is an HSK 2 word on the new HSK exam syllabus. It is HSK 3 on the old exam, HSK 2 on the new one.

What words contain the character 地?

Common words with 地 include 下地 (to go down to the fields), 三地门 (Santimen township in Pingtung County 屏東縣|屏东县[Ping2 dong1 Xian4], Taiwan), 不咋地 ((dialect) not that great), 一席之地 ((acknowledged) place), 一败涂地 (failed and wiped over the floor (idiom); to fail utterly).

How do you write 地?

地 has 6 strokes. Its radical is 土. You can view the stroke order animation on our stroke order tool.

地 (de), -ly

Q: What does 地 mean in Chinese?

地 (de) means "-ly; structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct" in Chinese. The new HSK exam tests it at HSK 2.

地

-ly; structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct

HSK 2 Was HSK 36 strokes

Character Breakdown

地 = 土 + 也

Earth that also exists — the ground

Radical: 土 (no. 32)Strokes: 6

View stroke order →

Definitions

-ly
structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct

Example Sentences

他高兴地笑了。

Tā gāoxìng de xiào le

He smiled happily

Words Containing 地

Word	Pinyin	Meaning
下地	xià dì	to go down to the fields
三地门	Sān dì mén	Santimen township in Pingtung County 屏東縣\|屏东县[Ping2 dong1 Xian4], Taiwan
不咋地	bù zǎ de	(dialect) not that great
一席之地	yī xí zhī dì	(acknowledged) place
一败涂地	yī bài tú dì	failed and wiped over the floor (idiom); to fail utterly

→

呢(ne)· particle indicating that a previously asked question is to be applied to the preceding word ("What about ...?", "And ...?")

→

得(dé)· to obtain

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结构助词(jié gòu zhù cí)· structural particle, such as 的[de5], 地[de5], 得[de5] and 所[suo3]

→

Grammar Notes

Degree Complement (得)HSK 2

Verb + 得 + Description

Not Only...But AlsoHSK 3

Subject + 不但 + Clause 1，而且 + Clause 2

Existential 有 SentencesHSK 3

Place + 有 + (Number + Measure Word) + Noun

Extremely (极了)HSK 4

Subject + Adjective + 极了

Serial Verb ConstructionHSK 4

Subject + Verb1 (+ Object1) + Verb2 (+ Object2)

Appears in these articles

HSK levels

New HSK exam: HSK 2
HSK 2.0: HSK 3
HSK Lord study list: HSK 1 list

地: HSK 3 on the old exam, HSK 2 on the new one. See where your old level lands

New exam levels follow the CLEC syllabus released 15 November 2025. The first official sitting is announced for 13 December 2026. HSK 7-9 is one advanced band.

On the new HSK 2 exam

Studying for HSK 2? Keep 地 with the rest of your level.

HSK Lord schedules your reviews so each character comes back right before you would forget it. Free to start, and it picks up where you are.

Start studying free The words new HSK 2 adds

Frequently Asked Questions

Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.

地