Meanings of 侥
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About 侥
Podcast: 侥
Podcast: 侥
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AI Study Notes for 侥
When using 侥, it's important to capture the nuance of luck versus skill. A common mistake is to use it in contexts where skill is involved, such as '侥成功' (successful by luck) instead of '通过努力成功' (successful through effort). It is generally informal.
Although 侥 is not in the official HSK list, it connects well with the concept of luck, which is present in HSK vocabulary (e.g., 运气 yùnqi). Focus on understanding the context of luck in Chinese culture to better grasp its usage.
Learners often confuse 侥 with 努力 (nǔlì, effort), mistakenly saying '侥努力' to mean 'succeeding through effort.' Instead, use '通过努力' to indicate success through hard work.
Pronunciation of 侥
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Etymology of 侥
Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 尧 represents the sound. Simplified form of 僥.
person
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 侥
Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 尧 represents the sound. Simplified form of 僥.
- 1The meaning half亻 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half尧 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawayperson
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 侥? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 侥
Identify the Components
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How to say by mere luck in Chinese
“by mere luck” in Chinese is侥
The character 侥 (jiǎo) refers to achieving something by mere luck or chance rather than through effort or skill. It is often used in contexts where success is attributed to fortunate circumstances rather than deliberate actions.
When to use 侥
When using 侥, it's important to capture the nuance of luck versus skill. A common mistake is to use it in contexts where skill is involved, such as '侥成功' (successful by luck) instead of '通过努力成功' (successful through effort). It is generally informal.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 侥 with 努力 (nǔlì, effort), mistakenly saying '侥努力' to mean 'succeeding through effort.' Instead, use '通过努力' to indicate success through hard work.
Write 侥
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Practice writing 侥 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 侥
侥 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Complete the Sentence
我真是无法相信就在最近自己____幸逃过了几场大难。
I can't quite believe the close shaves I've had just recently.
Example Sentences for 侥 (2)
Word Family of 侥
Compound Meaning
What does 侥幸 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 侥
Yes, 侥 is used in informal settings when discussing situations that turn out well due to luck.
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