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峭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
峭qiàohigh and steepn, 10 strokes, radical 山, rank #64547, Very Hard
峭qiàoprecipitousn, 10 strokes, radical 山, rank #64547, Very Hard
峭qiàosevere or sternn, 10 strokes, radical 山, rank #64547, Very Hard
峭qiàosteep, precipitous, ruggedn, 10 strokes, radical 山, rank #64547, Very Hard
qiào(qiao4) T4
  1. 1high and steep
  2. 2precipitous
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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

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About 峭

峭Simplified
10Strokes
山Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#64547Frequency Rank

Podcast: 峭

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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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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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Etymology of 峭

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

Phonosemantic compound. 山 represents the meaning and 肖 represents the sound. Simplified form of 陗.

Memory Hint

mountain

Semantic (meaning)山
+
Phonetic (sound)肖
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
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?

Write 峭

峭

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

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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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

湖光旖旎、____壁峥嵘，游客们被深深吸引了。

The view of lake and plunging cliffs seduces visitors.

Example Sentences for 峭 (10)

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1
湖光旖旎、峭壁峥嵘，游客们被深深吸引了。

hú guāng yǐ nǐ、 、 qiào bì zhēng， róng ， yóu kè mén bèi shēn shēn xī。

The view of lake and plunging cliffs seduces visitors.
2
一名男青年从陡峭的岩壁上坠崖身亡。

yī míng nán qīng nián cóng dǒu qiào de yán bì shàng zhuì yá shēn wáng。

A young man plunged from a sheer rock face to his death.
3
这些小山碧绿陡峭，矗立在这条宽阔的河流之上。

zhè xiē xiǎo shān bì lǜ dǒu qiào， ， chù lì zài zhè tiáo kuān kuò de hé liú zhī。

The hills rise green and sheer above the broad river.
4
陡峭的石头地面排水性能很好。

dǒu qiào de shí tóu dì miàn pái shuǐ xìng néng hěn hǎo。

The steep, stony ground is well drained.
5
那条小路非常陡峭，而且长满了灌木丛。

nà tiáo xiǎo lù fēi cháng dǒu qiào， ， ér qiě cháng mǎn le guàn mù。

The trail was steep and thick with underbrush.
6
她又开始沿着陡峭的山路往上爬。

tā yòu kāi shǐ yán zháo dǒu qiào de shān lù wǎng shàng pá。

She started once again on the steep upward climb.
7
清澈的海水拍打着悬崖峭壁，令她想起了卡普里。

qīng chè de hǎi shuǐ pāi dǎ zháo xuán yá qiào bì， ， líng tā xiǎng qǐ le kǎ pǔ。

The cliffs, lapped by a crystal-clear sea, remind her of Capri.
8
这个男人和他的儿子马克曾沿绳索爬下过这些陡峭的悬崖。

zhè gè nán rén hé tā de ér zǐ mǎ kè zēng yán shéng suǒ pá xià guò zhè xiē dǒu qiào de xuán yá。

The man and his son Mark had abseiled down the sheer cliffs.
9
我们沿着陡峭的峡谷向上开。

wǒ mén yán zháo dǒu qiào de xiá gǔ xiàng shàng kāi。

We drove up a steep-sided valley.
10
爬这座峭壁我们最好用绳子系在一起.

pá zhè zuò qiào bì wǒ mén zuì hǎo yòng shéng zǐ xì zài yī qǐ.

We'd better rope up for this difficult cliff.

Cultural Notes for 峭

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Word Family of 峭

Words Containing This Character7
峭壁cliff
陡峭dǒuqiàoprecipitous
峭qiàoprecipitous
悬崖峭壁xuányáqiàobìsheer cliffs and precipitous rock faces (idiom)懸崖峭壁
料峭cold
峻峭high and steep
劲峭strong (wind)勁峭
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 峭壁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 峭

In everyday usage, 峭 typically describes steep terrains, like cliffs or mountains, and can also imply severity in certain contexts.