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姣 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
姣jiāobeautiful, handsome, prettyz, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #65038, Very Hard
姣jiāosurname Jiaounknown, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #65038, Very Hard
jiāo(Jiao1)jiao T1
  1. 1beautiful, handsome, pretty
Also a Chinese surname, Jiao — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

姣jiāo(Jiao1)

The character 姣 (jiāo) primarily conveys the meaning of beauty, typically in reference to a woman or something aesthetically pleasing. It is often used in literary or poetic contexts to describe attractive qualities, and can also function as a surname. This word evokes a sense of delicate charm and grace.

Strokes9Radical女Frequency#65038DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The character 姣 often appears in classical poetry and literature, reflecting traditional Chinese values that celebrate feminine beauty and grace. It embodies the aesthetic appreciation deeply rooted in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a graceful woman (representing 'beauty') standing next to a tall, elegant tree (the radical 女 for 'woman' combined with the tree-like structure of the character). The sound 'jiāo' resembles the gentle call of a bird, emphasizing the beauty of nature and femininity.

Meanings of 姣

jiāo(Jiao1)
1beautiful, handsome, pretty
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 姣 means.

About 姣

姣Simplified
9Strokes
女Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 姣

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Podcast: 姣

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AI Study Notes for 姣

Quick Contrast

姣 (jiāo) vs 美 (měi) — use 姣 for a more delicate, poetic sense of beauty, while 美 is more general and commonly used.

Usage Notes

While 姣 is a pleasant adjective, it is somewhat formal and literary; avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include 姣好 (jiāo hǎo, meaning 'very beautiful') and 姣姣 (jiāo jiāo, often used to express a repeated beauty). Be cautious with tone, as the first tone is high and level.

HSK Study Tips

Though not included in HSK levels, 姣 connects with other beauty-related vocabulary like 美 (měi) and 漂亮 (piàoliang), which are more commonly used. Focus on understanding how beauty is expressed in different contexts to enhance your vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 姣 with other beauty-related terms like 美 (měi). For example, saying '她很美' (tā hěn měi, 'She is beautiful') is correct, but using '她很姣' (tā hěn jiāo) sounds awkward in conversation. Stick to 美 for everyday use.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 姣

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Etymology of 姣

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

woman

Semantic (meaning)女
+
Phonetic (sound)交
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

姣 = 女 + 交. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 姣

IDS Structure⿰女交
姣Full Character
=
女nü3
left
交jiao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 姣?

How to say beautiful, handsome, pretty in Chinese

“beautiful, handsome, pretty” in Chinese is姣jiāo

The character 姣 (jiāo) primarily conveys the meaning of beauty, typically in reference to a woman or something aesthetically pleasing. It is often used in literary or poetic contexts to describe attractive qualities, and can also function as a surname. This word evokes a sense of delicate charm and grace.

When to use 姣

While 姣 is a pleasant adjective, it is somewhat formal and literary; avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include 姣好 (jiāo hǎo, meaning 'very beautiful') and 姣姣 (jiāo jiāo, often used to express a repeated beauty). Be cautious with tone, as the first tone is high and level.

姣 or something close to it

姣 (jiāo) vs 美 (měi) — use 姣 for a more delicate, poetic sense of beauty, while 美 is more general and commonly used.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 姣 with other beauty-related terms like 美 (měi). For example, saying '她很美' (tā hěn měi, 'She is beautiful') is correct, but using '她很姣' (tā hěn jiāo) sounds awkward in conversation. Stick to 美 for everyday use.

Write 姣

姣

Practice writing 姣 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 姣

姣 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

那种淡白的月光,本来能叫老丑的妇人变为美人,现在把这副原本就____丽的面孔, 更映照得天神一般了.

The pale lunar touches which make beauties of hags lent divinity to this face, already beautiful.

Example Sentences for 姣 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
那种淡白的月光,本来能叫老丑的妇人变为美人,现在把这副原本就姣丽的面孔, 更映照得天神一般了.

nà zhǒng dàn bái de yuè guāng, , běn lái néng jiào lǎo chǒu de fù rén biàn wéi měi, rén , xiàn zài bǎ zhè fù yuán běn jiù jiāo lì de, miàn kǒng , gēng yìng zhào dé tiān shén.

The pale lunar touches which make beauties of hags lent divinity to this face, already beautiful.

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Word Family of 姣

Words Containing This Character1
姣jiāocunning

Frequently Asked Questions about 姣

Typically, 姣 is used to describe women or feminine beauty, so it's less common to use it for men.

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