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March 24, 2026
悄qiāo(qiao1)
The character 悄 (qiāo) conveys a sense of quietness or stillness. It is often used in contexts where silence or a subdued atmosphere is emphasized, such as in the phrase 悄悄 (qiāo qiāo), meaning 'quietly' or 'silently.' The character can also imply a sense of sadness or anxiety, adding emotional depth to its usage.
Strokes10Radical忄Frequency#32652DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese literature and poetry, silence often conveys deep emotion and introspection, making 悄 a significant character in expressing nuanced feelings. Its association with quietness is frequently reflected in traditional Chinese aesthetics, where stillness is valued.
Memory Tip
Imagine a quiet whisper in a dim room. The character 悄 has the '亻' (person) radical on the left, suggesting the presence of a person in a quiet state, while the right side resembles a gentle wave, indicating stillness and calmness. Visualize someone quietly contemplating their sadness, which connects to the pronunciation 'qiāo'.
Meanings of 悄
qiāo(qiao1)
primary
1quiet
2sad
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 悄
悄Simplified
10Strokes
忄Radical
副词fùcíadverb (adv.)Part of Speech
#32652Frequency Rank
Podcast: 悄
Podcast: 悄
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AI Study Notes for 悄
Quick Contrast
悄 (qiāo) vs 静 (jìng) — use 悄 for quietness with emotional nuance, while 静 emphasizes a state of stillness or calm.
Usage Notes
Students often confuse 悄 with other words that denote quietness, like 安静 (ān jìng), which is more formal. Be mindful of the context; 悄 is often used in literary or poetic settings. A common collocation is 悄悄 (qiāo qiāo), where repetition emphasizes the quietness.
HSK Study Tips
While 悄 is not part of the official HSK levels, it complements vocabulary related to emotions and atmosphere. Students at this level should focus on understanding its usage in phrases like 悄悄 and how it contrasts with more common terms for quietness.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use 悄 in casual conversation where a more common word for quietness, like 安静 (ān jìng), would be appropriate. For example, saying '今天天气很悄' (jīntiān tiānqì hěn qiāo) is incorrect; instead, use '安静' or '好' (hǎo) to describe good weather.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 悄
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Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 肖 represents the sound.
1The meaning half忄 carries the sense.
2The sound half肖 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 悄? 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 悄?
Decomposition of 悄
IDS Structure⿰忄肖
悄Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
肖Xiao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 悄?
How to say quiet in Chinese
“quiet” in Chinese is悄qiāo
The character 悄 (qiāo) conveys a sense of quietness or stillness. It is often used in contexts where silence or a subdued atmosphere is emphasized, such as in the phrase 悄悄 (qiāo qiāo), meaning 'quietly' or 'silently.' The character can also imply a sense of sadness or anxiety, adding emotional depth to its usage.
When to use 悄
Students often confuse 悄 with other words that denote quietness, like 安静 (ān jìng), which is more formal. Be mindful of the context; 悄 is often used in literary or poetic settings. A common collocation is 悄悄 (qiāo qiāo), where repetition emphasizes the quietness.
悄 or something close to it
悄 (qiāo) vs 静 (jìng) — use 悄 for quietness with emotional nuance, while 静 emphasizes a state of stillness or calm.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly use 悄 in casual conversation where a more common word for quietness, like 安静 (ān jìng), would be appropriate. For example, saying '今天天气很悄' (jīntiān tiānqì hěn qiāo) is incorrect; instead, use '安静' or '好' (hǎo) to describe good weather.
Write 悄
悄
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Practice writing 悄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 悄
悄 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 3 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
Complete the Sentence
“那么你认为如何？”她声音嘶哑地____声问道。
"So what do you think?" she said in a hoarse whisper.
Common Confusions with 悄
悄vs喧
xuān
Opposite meaning; relates to noise.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "quiet"?
or
Example Sentences for 悄 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
“那么你认为如何？”她声音嘶哑地悄声问道。
“ “ nà mó nǐ rèn wéi rú？” hé ？” tā shēng yīn sī yǎ dì qiǎo shēng。
"So what do you think?" she said in a hoarse whisper.
