How to Write 错 (cuò) — Meaning “Wrong / mistake”

Imagine a golden (钅) old-fashioned watch (昔) that always shows the wrong time because it is stuck in the past. This visual of a 'golden old' item being incorrect helps you link the shape to the meaning 'wrong.' Alternatively, think of 昔 as 'twenty days ago' and a golden object from then must be outdated and therefore 'wrong' now.

Write the left radical 钅 first (5 strokes: short left-falling, left-falling, horizontal, horizontal, vertical lift), then the right side 昔 (8 strokes: horizontal, vertical, horizontal, vertical, horizontal, vertical, horizontal fold, horizontal). A common mistake is making the upper part of 昔 too tall or adding an extra stroke – keep the three horizontal and two vertical strokes tight and even. The overall shape should be balanced, with the left side narrower and the right side a bit wider.

All three use the metal radical 钅, but their right sides differ: 错 has 昔 (old), 铐 has 考 (examine/test), and 铑 has 老 (old age). Their meanings are very different: 错 means 'wrong' or 'mistake,' 铐 means 'handcuffs,' and 铑 is a rare chemical element (rhodium). Visually, remember that 错's right side looks like a stack of lines (昔), while 铐 has a bent shape (考) and 铑 has a clear 'old man' component (老).

错 is extremely common and appears in everyday phrases like 不错 (not bad / correct), 错误 (error), and 错过 (to miss an opportunity). In Chinese culture, saying 是我的错 (it’s my fault) is a direct way to admit a mistake and is seen as honest and humble. The word 没错 is also frequently used to mean 'that's right' or 'exactly,' literally meaning 'no mistake.'

Common words containing 错 include: 不错 (bù cuò) — Not bad / Correct; 错误 (cuò wù) — Error / Mistake; 错过 (cuò guò) — To miss (an opportunity).