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娇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
娇
jiāo
lovable
a, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #14122, Very Hard
娇
jiāo
pampered
a, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #14122, Very Hard
娇
jiāo
tender
a, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #14122, Very Hard
娇
jiāo
delicate
a, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #14122, Very Hard
娇
jiāo
frail
a, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #14122, Very Hard
娇
jiāo
seductive, lovable, tender; pampered; frail
a, 9 strokes, radical 女, rank #14122, Very Hard
jiāo(jiao1)jiao T1
1lovable
2pampered
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
娇(嬌)jiāo(jiao1)
The character 娇 (jiāo) refers to someone or something that is lovable, tender, or pampered. It often describes delicate or frail qualities, especially in a charming or affectionate context. Commonly used to describe children, pets, or romantic partners, it conveys a sense of endearment and fragility.
Strokes9Radical女Frequency#14122DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of being 娇 (jiāo) is often associated with traditional femininity, where women are perceived as delicate and deserving of protection. This reflects societal values that emphasize tenderness and nurturing in relationships.
Memory tip
Imagine a delicate flower (娇) that is loved and pampered by everyone. The flower's soft petals represent its tenderness, and the way it's cared for symbolizes being spoiled. Picture saying 'jiāo' softly as if whispering sweet words to the flower, emphasizing its lovable nature.
Meanings of 娇
jiāo(jiao1)
1lovable
2pampered
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 娇 means.
About 娇
娇Simplified
嬌Traditional
9Strokes
女Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#14122Frequency Rank
Podcast: 娇
Podcast: 娇
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AI study notes for 娇
Quick Contrast
娇 (jiāo) vs 嫩 (nèn) — use 娇 for endearing tenderness, while 嫩 emphasizes softness or youth without the affectionate nuance.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone of 娇 (jiāo) as it can sound overly intimate or informal in certain contexts. It is often used in affectionate phrases, such as 娇娇女 (a pampered girl), but may not be suitable in formal conversations. Avoid using it to describe someone in a derogatory sense; always maintain a positive connotation.
HSK Study Tips
While 娇 (jiāo) is not in the standard HSK vocabulary, it can enhance your understanding of nuanced adjectives. Focus on its usage in contexts of affection and tenderness to connect with other similar words like 可爱 (kě’ài, cute) and 温柔 (wēnróu, gentle).
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 娇 (jiāo) with similar characters like 妖 (yāo), which means 'seductive' or 'bewitching.' A common mistake is to use 娇 to describe someone negatively; instead, remember it should convey affection and endearment.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 娇
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Example
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Knowing 娇 is seven skills, not one.
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娇 = 女 + 乔. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 娇
IDS Structure⿰女乔
娇Full character
=
女nü3
left
乔Qiao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 娇?
How to say lovable in Chinese
“lovable” in Chinese is娇jiāo
The character 娇 (jiāo) refers to someone or something that is lovable, tender, or pampered. It often describes delicate or frail qualities, especially in a charming or affectionate context. Commonly used to describe children, pets, or romantic partners, it conveys a sense of endearment and fragility.
When to use 娇
Be cautious with the tone of 娇 (jiāo) as it can sound overly intimate or informal in certain contexts. It is often used in affectionate phrases, such as 娇娇女 (a pampered girl), but may not be suitable in formal conversations. Avoid using it to describe someone in a derogatory sense; always maintain a positive connotation.
娇 or something close to it
娇 (jiāo) vs 嫩 (nèn) — use 娇 for endearing tenderness, while 嫩 emphasizes softness or youth without the affectionate nuance.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 娇 (jiāo) with similar characters like 妖 (yāo), which means 'seductive' or 'bewitching.' A common mistake is to use 娇 to describe someone negatively; instead, remember it should convey affection and endearment.
Write 娇
娇
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Practice writing 娇 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 娇
娇 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 6 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他大概7岁，骨架像他妈妈一样____小均匀。
He was about seven years old, small and fine-boned like his mother.
Example sentences for 娇 (9)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他大概7岁，骨架像他妈妈一样娇小均匀。
tā dàgài7 suì， gǔjià xiàng tā māma yíyàng jiāo xiǎo jūnyún。
He was about seven years old, small and fine-boned like his mother.
2
我不愿意被人当作是个娇纵惯了的电影皇后。
wǒ bù yuànyì bèi rén dàngzuò shì gè jiāo zòng guàn le de diànyǐng huánghòu。
I don't want to be treated like a cosseted movie queen.
3
你什么都不关心，除了你自己和你那张娇贵的脸。
nǐ shénme dōu bù guānxīn， chúle nǐ zìjǐ hé nǐ nà zhāng jiāo guì de liǎn。
You don't care about anything but yourself and your precious face.
4
现在呢, 因为“老东西”——这是秀才的妻叫秀才的名字——趋奉了她, 就装着娇滴滴的样子了.
xiànzài ne, yīnwèi“ lǎo dōngxi”—— zhè shì xiù cái de qī jiào xiù cái de míngzi—— qū fèng le tā, jiù zhuāng zhe jiāo dī dī de yàngzi le.
Now, with the old man fawning on her, she puts on airs.
5
三个月后,那一团愈发繁茂的绿蔓里边,发出一种尖又娇嫩的呜叫.
sāngè yuè hòu, nà yī tuán yù fā fán mào de lǜ mán lǐbian, fāchū yī zhǒng jiān yòu jiāo nèn de wū jiào.
Three months later I heard a sharp yet delicate peep from behind the lush leaves.
6
我在我自己手中拿着,像捧着一朵娇嫩的花.
wǒ zài wǒ zìjǐ shǒu zhōng ná zhe, xiàng pěng zhe yī duǒ jiāo nèn de huā.
When I touched it with my hand it was like cupping a delicate , tender flower.
Stuyvesant had his career before him , untouched and quivering, like a still ungathered flower.
8
当他表示要把那匹可爱的小矮种马给她的时候,她娇滴滴地叹了口气,谢绝了.
dāng tā biǎoshì yào bǎ nà pǐ kě’ài de xiǎo ǎi zhǒng mǎ gěi tā de shíhou, tā jiāo dī dī dì tàn le kǒuqì, xièjué le.
She refused the dear little pony with such a delicate sigh when he offered it.
9
这是由于他从小娇生惯养, 目中无人, 穷奢极欲, 摆贵族架子的结果.
zhè shì yóuyú tā cóngxiǎo jiāo shēng guàn yǎng, mùzhōngwúrén, qióng shē jí yù, bǎi guìzú jiàzi de jiéguǒ.
This was what came of early indulgence, and insolence, and extravagance, and aristocratic airs.
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Word Family of 娇
Words containing this character20
娇jiāolovable嬌
娇小jiāoxiǎopetite嬌小
撒娇sājiāoto throw a tantrum撒嬌
娇嫩jiāonenfragile嬌嫩
娇生惯养jiāoshēngguànyǎngpampered and spoiled since childhood嬌生慣養
娇气jiāoqìdelicate嬌氣
娇艳jiāoyàntender and beautiful嬌豔
娇媚jiāomèiflirtatious嬌媚
娇羞jiāoxiūbashful嬌羞
娇惯jiāoguànto pamper嬌慣
娇弱jiāoruòdelicate嬌弱
娇贵jiāoguìpampered嬌貴
娇滴滴jiāodīdīsweet嬌滴滴
娇嗔jiāochēn(of a girl) to feign anger coquettishly嬌嗔
娇美jiāoměidainty嬌美
娇纵jiāozòngto pamper嬌縱
娇宠jiāochǒngto indulge嬌寵
金屋藏娇jīnwūcángjiāoa golden house to keep one's mistress (idiom); a magnificent house built for a beloved woman金屋藏嬌
陈娇chénjiāoChen Jiao, first wife of emperor 漢武帝|汉武帝[HànWǔdì], died c. 110 BC陳嬌
娇儿jiāo’érbeloved son嬌兒
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 娇
What does 娇小 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 娇
No, while 娇 (jiāo) is often used to describe women or young girls, it can also apply to pets or objects that are considered adorable or tender.
Generally, 娇 (jiāo) carries a positive connotation, but in some contexts, it might imply that someone is overly dependent or weak, so use it carefully.
Common phrases include 娇娇女 (jiāo jiāo nǚ, pampered girl) or 娇气 (jiāo qì, delicate or sensitive), which highlight its meanings.
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