摔倒
shuāi dǎo · HSK 5
to fall down
🤕 摔 = throw down + 倒 = topple over
摔 means to hurl or fling to the ground; 倒 means to fall over or collapse. Together they describe a hard fall — slipping and crashing down, or being thrown down by someone.
摔 — hand radical 扌 + 率 shuài (phonetic)
摔 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The hand radical 扌 signals an action done with the hand, while 率 (shuài) supplies the sound. Originally meaning to hurl or throw down, it extended to falling or tumbling, as when something is cast to the ground.
倒 — person radical 亻 + 到 (to arrive)
倒 is a semantic-phonetic compound: the person radical 亻 gives meaning (an action done by/to a person), while 到 supplies the sound 'dào'. Originally meaning 'to fall over' (a person toppling), it extended to 'invert, upside down, pour out', as when something falls and spills.