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March 24, 2026
侥(僥)jiǎo(jiao3)
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.
Strokes8Radical亻Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, luck is often tied to traditional beliefs and practices, such as feng shui and fortune-telling, making the concept of 侥 significant in discussions about fate and destiny.
Memory Tip
Picture a lucky rabbit (侥 has a '人' radical which can represent a person) hopping into a winning lottery ticket. The '人' represents someone who unexpectedly finds luck, reminding you of the pronunciation 'jiǎo' as it sounds like 'jumping with joy' from good fortune.
Meanings of 侥
jiǎo(jiao3)
1by mere luck
2to be lucky; by chance, by luck
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 侥
侥Simplified
僥Traditional
8Strokes
亻Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 侥
Podcast: 侥
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AI Study Notes for 侥
Memory Mnemonic
Picture a lucky rabbit (侥 has a '人' radical which can represent a person) hopping into a winning lottery ticket. The '人' represents someone who unexpectedly finds luck, reminding you of the pronunciation 'jiǎo' as it sounds like 'jumping with joy' from good fortune.
Usage Notes
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.
HSK Study Tips
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.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, luck is often tied to traditional beliefs and practices, such as feng shui and fortune-telling, making the concept of 侥 significant in discussions about fate and destiny.
Common Mistakes
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.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 侥
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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.
'Of course we can't afford to take chances,'agreed Winston dutifully.
Cultural Notes for 侥
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, luck is often tied to traditional beliefs and practices, such as feng shui and fortune-telling, making the concept of 侥 significant in discussions about fate and destiny.
Word Family of 侥
Words Containing This Character2
侥幸jiǎoxìngluckily僥倖
侥jiǎoby mere luck僥
Exercise 1 of 2
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.
It's best to avoid using 侥 in formal writing, as it carries an informal tone.
Yes, synonyms include 运气 (yùnqi), which also means luck, but with a broader application.
