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杓 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
杓biāowooden cup, ladle, or spoonzg, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #54269, Very Hard
杓biāo(star)unknown, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #54269, Very Hard
杓sháowooden cup, ladle, or spoonzg, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #54269, Very Hard
杓sháo(star)unknown, 7 strokes, radical 木, rank #54269, Very Hard
biāo(biao1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1wooden cup, ladle, or spoon
  2. 2(star)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

杓biāo(biao1)

The character 杓 (biāo) refers to a wooden cup, ladle, or spoon, often used for serving liquids or food. It can also denote a certain star in traditional Chinese astronomy. This term is commonly encountered in culinary contexts, as well as in discussions of traditional Chinese measurement and astronomy.

Strokes7Radical木Frequency#54269DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese cooking, wooden ladles like those referred to by 杓 were commonly used in households for serving soup or rice, reflecting the importance of communal dining and sharing in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Think of a wooden ladle (木 = wood) that scoops up food. The top part of the character (杓) resembles the shape of a ladle, with the long handle and scoop. Imagine using it to serve soup at a family gathering, which helps link the character to its meaning.

Meanings of 杓

biāo(biao1)
primary
1wooden cup, ladle, or spoon
2(star)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 杓

杓Simplified
7Strokes
木Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 杓

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Podcast: 杓

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AI Study Notes for 杓

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 杓 with other similar characters like 勺 (sháo), which also means ladle but is more commonly used. Note that 杓 is less frequently used in modern contexts and may appear more in historical texts or specific culinary references. Be mindful of the tone; it's pronounced with a high level tone (biāo).

HSK Study Tips

Since 杓 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, learners at this level should focus on more common utensils like 勺 (sháo) or 叉 (chā, fork). Understanding 杓 can enhance vocabulary related to traditional Chinese cooking and measurements.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 杓 with 勺 (sháo) and may incorrectly use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我想要一个杓来喝水' (I want a ladle to drink water) is incorrect; use 勺 instead for a drinking context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 杓

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Etymology of 杓

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A wooden 木 spoon 勺

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 杓

  1. 1The giveawayA wooden 木 spoon 勺
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 杓? 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 杓?

Decomposition of 杓

IDS Structure⿰木勺
杓Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
勺shao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 杓?

How to say wooden cup, ladle, or spoon in Chinese

“wooden cup, ladle, or spoon” in Chinese is杓biāo

The character 杓 (biāo) refers to a wooden cup, ladle, or spoon, often used for serving liquids or food. It can also denote a certain star in traditional Chinese astronomy. This term is commonly encountered in culinary contexts, as well as in discussions of traditional Chinese measurement and astronomy.

When to use 杓

Learners often confuse 杓 with other similar characters like 勺 (sháo), which also means ladle but is more commonly used. Note that 杓 is less frequently used in modern contexts and may appear more in historical texts or specific culinary references. Be mindful of the tone; it's pronounced with a high level tone (biāo).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 杓 with 勺 (sháo) and may incorrectly use them interchangeably. For example, saying '我想要一个杓来喝水' (I want a ladle to drink water) is incorrect; use 勺 instead for a drinking context.

Write 杓

杓

Practice writing 杓 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 杓

Words Containing This Character1
杓biāo(star)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 杓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 杓

You pronounce it as 'biāo' with a high level tone.

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