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晁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
晁cháosurname Chaounknown, 10 strokes, radical 日
晁cháomorning, dawn; surnamenr, 10 strokes, radical 日
cháo(Chao2) T2
  1. 1surname Chao
  2. 2morning, dawn; surname
Also a Chinese surname, Chao — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

晁cháo(Chao2)

The character 晁 (cháo) primarily refers to 'morning' or 'dawn,' symbolizing the beginning of a new day. It can also be used as a surname in Chinese culture, specifically the surname Chao, which is less common but notable in certain regions.

Strokes10Radical日
Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, the concept of dawn is often celebrated for its beauty and symbolism of new beginnings. The character 晁 may appear in classical poetry to evoke feelings of hope and renewal at the start of a day.

Memory Tip

Imagine the character 晁 as the sun rising in the morning sky, illuminating the world around it. The left component (日) signifies 'sun' or 'day', while the right component (朝) relates to 'morning' or 'to face'. Together, they vividly depict the dawn.

Meanings of 晁

cháo(Chao2)
1morning, dawn; surname
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 晁

晁Simplified
10Strokes
日Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 晁

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Podcast: 晁

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AI Study Notes for 晁

Usage Notes

When using 晁, it is important to remember it is more poetic and literary, often found in classical texts or names rather than everyday conversation. Learners might confuse it with other terms for morning, like 早晨 (zǎochén), which is more common. Be cautious with the tone; the correct pronunciation is 'cháo' (2nd tone).

HSK Study Tips

Though 晁 is not included in the HSK levels, understanding it can enrich vocabulary around time and daily routines. It can be linked to other terms for day and time, like 日 (rì) for 'day' and 早 (zǎo) for 'early', helping students expand their temporal vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 晁 with other terms for morning, such as 早 (zǎo) or 早晨 (zǎochén). A common mistake is saying '早' when they mean '晁'; however, remember that 晁 carries a more poetic connotation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 晁

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Etymology of 晁

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

sun

Semantic (meaning)日
+
Phonetic (sound)兆
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 晁

  1. 1The meaning half日 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half兆 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysun
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 晁? 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 晁?

Decomposition of 晁

IDS Structure⿱日兆
晁Full Character
=
日Ri4
top
兆Zhao4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 晁?

How to say surname Chao in Chinese

“surname Chao” in Chinese is晁cháo

The character 晁 (cháo) primarily refers to 'morning' or 'dawn,' symbolizing the beginning of a new day. It can also be used as a surname in Chinese culture, specifically the surname Chao, which is less common but notable in certain regions.

When to use 晁

When using 晁, it is important to remember it is more poetic and literary, often found in classical texts or names rather than everyday conversation. Learners might confuse it with other terms for morning, like 早晨 (zǎochén), which is more common. Be cautious with the tone; the correct pronunciation is 'cháo' (2nd tone).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 晁 with other terms for morning, such as 早 (zǎo) or 早晨 (zǎochén). A common mistake is saying '早' when they mean '晁'; however, remember that 晁 carries a more poetic connotation.

Write 晁

晁

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 晁

Words Containing This Character1
晁cháosurname Chao
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 晁 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 晁

No, 晁 (Chao) is not among the most common Chinese surnames, but it can be found in certain regions.

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