錯誤 / 错误
cuòwù
The English word 'mistake' is translated into Chinese as 錯誤 / 错误 (cuòwù). Wiktionary also lists 錯 / 错 (cuò) and 誤 / 误 (wù).
Meaning: error (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 錯誤 / 错误 | cuòwù |
| 錯 / 错 | cuò |
| 誤 / 误 | wù |
The term 'mistake' or 'error' is represented by several forms. To express the action of 'making' or 'committing' a mistake, use the verb 犯 / 犯 with the noun 錯 / 错.
Which one should you use?
The two-syllable form 錯誤 / 错误 is more formal and is typically used in written or official contexts, whereas the single syllable 錯 / 错 is more common in spoken language. For specific nuances, use 失误 (shī wù) to refer to an unintentional error or oversight and 疏忽 (shū hū) to emphasize neglect or lack of attention.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
cuòwù
Did you know?
- The word 錯 can be used as an adverb to mean 'quite' or 'fairly' in phrases like 錯不錯, meaning 'not bad'.
- The character 錯 originally referred to a 'grindstone' or 'whetstone'.
- When apologizing for a mistake in a professional Chinese setting, people often use the phrase 是我不對, which literally means 'it is I who is not right'.
Examples in context
- 我犯了一个错误。(Wǒ fàn le yí gè cuò wù.)I made a mistake.
- 他在比赛中犯了一个失误。(Tā zài bǐ sài zhōng fàn le yí gè shī wù.)He made a mistake during the game.
- 因为我的疏忽，我错过了这个机会。(Yīn wèi wǒ de shū hū, wǒ cuò guò le zhè ge jī huì.)Due to my negligence, I missed this opportunity.
- 我把事情搞砸了。(Wǒ bǎ shì qíng gǎo zá le.)I messed up the situation.
- 我把他的意思弄错了。(Wǒ bǎ tā de yì si nòng cuò le.)I misunderstood his intention.
- 别搞错了，这不是你的东西。(Bié gǎo cuò le, zhè bú shì nǐ de dōng xi.)Don't make a mistake, this is not yours.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “mistake” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 誤, 錯, CC BY-SA 4.0.
