unknown, 8 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #91865, Very Hard
yáo(yao2) T2
1cooked or prepared meat
2mixed viands
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
肴(殽)yáo(yao2)
肴 (yáo) refers to prepared or cooked meat, typically served as part of a meal. It can also denote mixed dishes or viands, showcasing the variety of food in Chinese cuisine. This character is often associated with the concept of flavorful and well-prepared dishes in culinary contexts.
Strokes8Radical⺼Frequency#91865DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, food is a significant aspect of social gatherings and celebrations. The term 肴 emphasizes the importance of carefully prepared dishes, which often play a central role in family banquets and festivals.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef (the radical 肉, meaning 'meat') expertly preparing a feast. The character 肴 looks like the chef is holding a plate of delicious cooked meat, and 'yáo' sounds like 'yowl,' which you might do when you smell something irresistibly good cooking.
Meanings of 肴
yáo(yao2)
1cooked or prepared meat
2mixed viands
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 肴
肴Simplified
殽Traditional
8Strokes
⺼Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#65535Frequency Rank
Podcast: 肴
Podcast: 肴
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
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AI Study Notes for 肴
Quick Contrast
肉 (ròu, meat) vs 菜 (cài, vegetables) — choose 肴 when referring specifically to prepared meat dishes, while 肴 encompasses a broader range of mixed or cooked foods.
Usage Notes
肴 is more commonly used in written language or formal contexts, particularly in culinary descriptions. Common collocations include 肴菜 (yáo cài), meaning 'prepared dishes.' Be mindful of the tone, as the character is pronounced with a rising tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.
HSK Study Tips
While 肴 is not included in the HSK levels, students at HSK 4 and above will benefit from understanding food-related vocabulary. Focus on the context of meals and cooking when learning this character, as it enriches conversational skills in dining situations.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 肴 with similar-sounding words like 遭 (zāo). For example, mistakenly saying '我喜欢遭菜' (wǒ xǐhuān zāo cài) instead of '我喜欢肴菜' (wǒ xǐhuān yáo cài) to express liking prepared dishes can lead to misunderstandings.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 肴
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Drill the tone of 肴 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
2The sound half乂 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymeat
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 肴? 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 肴?
Decomposition of 肴
IDS Structure⿱乂有
肴Full Character
=
乂yi4
top
有you3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 肴?
How to say cooked or prepared meat in Chinese
“cooked or prepared meat” in Chinese is肴yáo
肴 (yáo) refers to prepared or cooked meat, typically served as part of a meal. It can also denote mixed dishes or viands, showcasing the variety of food in Chinese cuisine. This character is often associated with the concept of flavorful and well-prepared dishes in culinary contexts.
When to use 肴
肴 is more commonly used in written language or formal contexts, particularly in culinary descriptions. Common collocations include 肴菜 (yáo cài), meaning 'prepared dishes.' Be mindful of the tone, as the character is pronounced with a rising tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.
肴 or something close to it
肉 (ròu, meat) vs 菜 (cài, vegetables) — choose 肴 when referring specifically to prepared meat dishes, while 肴 encompasses a broader range of mixed or cooked foods.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 肴 with similar-sounding words like 遭 (zāo). For example, mistakenly saying '我喜欢遭菜' (wǒ xǐhuān zāo cài) instead of '我喜欢肴菜' (wǒ xǐhuān yáo cài) to express liking prepared dishes can lead to misunderstandings.
Write 肴
肴
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Practice writing 肴 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 肴
肴 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
晚饭就着鲜脆的色拉尝尝这道佳____。
Try this tasty dish for supper with a crispy salad.
