拖拖拉拉

tuōtuōlālā

verb #25,541

Meanings

1 to procrastinate
2 to dawdle
3 to drag one's feet
4 to be slow and disorganized

Characters

to drag/to delay

to pull/to drag

Examples

HSK 1

他做什么事都拖拖拉拉的。

Tā zuò shénme shì dōu tuōtuōlālā de.

He dawdles over everything he does.

HSK 2

别拖拖拉拉了，快点出发！

Bié tuōtuōlālā le, kuài diǎn chūfā!

Stop dawdling, let's get moving!

Tips

memory

拖 means to drag, and 拉 also means to pull or drag. Doubled as 拖拖拉拉, it vividly suggests someone dragging their feet in every direction - going nowhere fast.

Stroke Order

拖 tuō

拉 lā