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March 24, 2026
狡jiǎo(jiao3)
The character 狡 (jiǎo) refers to being crafty or cunning, often with a negative connotation of deceitfulness. It is commonly used to describe someone who is sly or treacherous, particularly in contexts involving trickery or manipulation. This word can also apply to situations where cleverness is used for dubious purposes.
Strokes9Radical犭Frequency#76384DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese folklore, cunning animals like the fox often symbolize trickery and cleverness, which is reflected in the use of 狡 to describe someone with deceitful traits. This aligns with themes found in traditional tales where outsmarting opponents is a common motif.
Memory Tip
Imagine a clever fox sneaking through the forest, its cunning nature highlighted by its sharp eyes and quick movements. The character 狡 is made up of the radical for 'dog' (犭), suggesting a sly animal, and the component 交, which can remind you of trickery or interaction, as in someone who engages in deceitful behaviors.
Meanings of 狡
jiǎo(jiao3)
1crafty
2cunning
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 狡
狡Simplified
9Strokes
犭Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#65535Frequency Rank
Podcast: 狡
Podcast: 狡
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AI Study Notes for 狡
Quick Contrast
狡 (crafty) vs 诡 (deceptive) — use 狡 when referring to cunning with a focus on cleverness, while 诡 emphasizes deceitfulness and trickery.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a clever fox sneaking through the forest, its cunning nature highlighted by its sharp eyes and quick movements. The character 狡 is made up of the radical for 'dog' (犭), suggesting a sly animal, and the component 交, which can remind you of trickery or interaction, as in someone who engages in deceitful behaviors.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 狡 with similar words like 聪明 (cōngmíng) which means 'smart' without the negative connotation. It is generally used in informal contexts, especially when discussing someone's character or behavior. Be careful with the tone; the third tone (jiǎo) is essential to convey the correct meaning.
HSK Study Tips
While 狡 is not included in the HSK levels, it is useful for learners at an intermediate level to expand vocabulary related to personality traits. Students should focus on practicing its usage in sentences that describe actions or behaviors of people.
Cultural Note
In Chinese folklore, cunning animals like the fox often symbolize trickery and cleverness, which is reflected in the use of 狡 to describe someone with deceitful traits. This aligns with themes found in traditional tales where outsmarting opponents is a common motif.
Common Mistakes
Learners might mistakenly use 狡 to describe someone who is simply intelligent, not realizing its negative implications. For example, saying '他很狡' (Tā hěn jiǎo) to mean 'He is very intelligent' is incorrect; instead, it should be '他很聪明' (Tā hěn cōngmíng).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 狡
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Grammar Patterns of 狡
狡 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. 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.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
诺思布里奇是个头脑冷静、诡计多端、阴险____诈的罪犯，他可能还会犯案。
Northbridge is a cool, calculating and clever criminal who could strike again.
There are plenty of fish in the river, and good baits on my line, but the fish are getting clever and refuse to rise to the
Cultural Notes for 狡
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese folklore, cunning animals like the fox often symbolize trickery and cleverness, which is reflected in the use of 狡 to describe someone with deceitful traits. This aligns with themes found in traditional tales where outsmarting opponents is a common motif.
Word Family of 狡
Words Containing This Character9
狡猾jiǎohuácrafty
狡辩to quibble狡辯
狡诈craft狡詐
狡jiǎocrafty
狡黠crafty
狡兔三窟lit. a crafty rabbit has three burrows
狡赖to deny (through sophism)狡賴
狡滑crafty
奸狡devious
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 狡猾 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 狡
Yes, 狡 typically carries a negative connotation, implying deceitfulness or trickery.
While it can refer to cleverness, it usually implies that the cleverness is used for dishonest or unethical purposes.
聪明 (cōngmíng) means 'smart' in a positive sense, while 狡 (jiǎo) suggests cleverness that is more about cunning and deceit.
