How to Write 逃 (táo) — Meaning “to escape; to run away”

Imagine you see a big sign (兆) warning "DANGER!" and you immediately use your legs (辶) to run away. The sign is like a warning that makes you escape, linking the two parts. This story helps you recall that 逃 means "to escape" or "to flee."

Start with the 辶 radical: first write the left dot, then the zigzag stroke, and finally the long sweeping stroke that carries the whole character. Then write the right part 兆 with six strokes — be careful not to make the tail of the 辶 too short, or the character will look unbalanced. The right part should sit inside the curve of the 辶, not hang outside.

逃 (táo) means 'to escape' and uses 兆 on the right, while 迎 (yíng) means 'to welcome' and uses 卬 (which looks like a person kneeling). 运 (yùn) means 'to transport' or 'luck' and uses 云 (cloud) on the right. All share the 辶 radical for movement, but the right parts give completely different meanings and pronunciations.

逃 appears in everyday words like 逃跑 (to run away) and 逃课 (to skip class). It is also used in serious contexts like 逃避责任 (to avoid responsibility). Culturally, 逃 often carries a slightly negative sense of avoiding something rather than facing it, but it is a neutral verb in most situations.

Common words containing 逃 include: 逃跑 (táo pǎo) — to run away; to escape; 逃避 (táo bì) — to evade; to avoid; to shirk; 逃课 (táo kè) — to skip class; to play truant.