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March 24, 2026
峭qiào(qiao4)
The character 峭 (qiào) refers to a steep or precipitous slope, often used to describe rugged landscapes such as mountains or cliffs. It can also convey a sense of severity or sternness in contexts like describing demeanor or conditions.
Strokes10Radical山Frequency#64547DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, mountains often symbolize strength and resilience. The character 峭 can reflect the respect for nature’s majesty and the challenges it presents, which is a theme frequently found in Chinese poetry and philosophy.
Memory Tip
Imagine a tall, rugged mountain peak that juts sharply into the sky, resembling the shape of the character 峭. The left part (山) represents 'mountain', while the right part (喬) relates to 'high' or 'tall'. Picture a stern mountain guide warning climbers about the steep ascent to reinforce the meaning.
Meanings of 峭
qiào(qiao4)
1high and steep
2precipitous
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 峭
峭Simplified
10Strokes
山Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#64547Frequency Rank
Podcast: 峭
Podcast: 峭
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AI Study Notes for 峭
Quick Contrast
峻 (jùn) - use 峭 (qiào) when emphasizing steepness or abruptness, while 峻 (jùn) often conveys a sense of grandeur or majesty in the steepness.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone; it’s pronounced with a falling tone (qiào). This term is often used in literary or descriptive contexts, so it might come across as more formal. Common collocations include 峭壁 (qiàobì, 'sheer cliff') and 峭冷 (qiàolěng, 'severe cold').
HSK Study Tips
Although not in the official HSK lists, 峭 (qiào) can be connected to other HSK Level 4-5 words related to nature or geography, such as 山 (shān, 'mountain') and 陡 (dǒu, 'steep'). Focus on its use in descriptive language when discussing landscapes.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 峭 with 陡 (dǒu), both meaning 'steep', but they are used in different contexts. For example, saying '这座山很陡峭' (This mountain is very steep) mixes terms; instead, use '这座山的峭壁很陡峭' to specify the cliff.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 峭
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Phonosemantic compound. 山 represents the meaning and 肖 represents the sound. Simplified form of 陗.
1The meaning half山 carries the sense.
2The sound half肖 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymountain
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 峭? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 峭?
Decomposition of 峭
IDS Structure⿰山肖
峭Full Character
=
山Shan1
left
肖Xiao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 峭?
How to say high and steep in Chinese
“high and steep” in Chinese is峭qiào
The character 峭 (qiào) refers to a steep or precipitous slope, often used to describe rugged landscapes such as mountains or cliffs. It can also convey a sense of severity or sternness in contexts like describing demeanor or conditions.
When to use 峭
Be cautious with the tone; it’s pronounced with a falling tone (qiào). This term is often used in literary or descriptive contexts, so it might come across as more formal. Common collocations include 峭壁 (qiàobì, 'sheer cliff') and 峭冷 (qiàolěng, 'severe cold').
峭 or something close to it
峻 (jùn) - use 峭 (qiào) when emphasizing steepness or abruptness, while 峻 (jùn) often conveys a sense of grandeur or majesty in the steepness.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 峭 with 陡 (dǒu), both meaning 'steep', but they are used in different contexts. For example, saying '这座山很陡峭' (This mountain is very steep) mixes terms; instead, use '这座山的峭壁很陡峭' to specify the cliff.
Write 峭
峭
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Grammar Patterns of 峭
峭 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 4 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.
