Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
胶 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
胶jiāoto gluen, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #5229, Hard
胶jiāogluen, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #5229, Hard
胶jiāogumn, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #5229, Hard
胶jiāorubbern, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #5229, Hard
胶jiāoglue, gum, resin, rubber; sticky; to gluen, 10 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #5229, Hard
jiāo(jiao1) T1
  1. 1to glue
  2. 2glue
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

胶(膠)jiāo(jiao1)

The character 胶 (jiāo) refers to substances used for sticking things together, such as glue, gum, or rubber. It is commonly used in both everyday contexts, like crafting or repairing items, and industrial contexts for manufacturing and construction. The nuance of this character also implies stickiness or adhesive qualities.

Strokes10Radical⺼Frequency#5229DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, adhesive materials like glue (胶) play a significant role in traditional crafts, such as paper cutting and calligraphy, highlighting the importance of precision and artistry in these practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant 'Jelly' (sounds like 'jiāo') that you use to stick two things together! The character 胶 has the radical 背 (bèi) which suggests a 'back' or support, reflecting how glue supports materials by holding them together.

Meanings of 胶

jiāo(jiao1)
1to glue
2glue
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 胶

胶Simplified
膠Traditional
10Strokes
⺼Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#5229Frequency Rank

Podcast: 胶

JasonAmy

Podcast: 胶

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 胶

Quick Contrast

胶 (jiāo) vs 粘 (nián) — use 胶 for commercial or industrial adhesives, while 粘 emphasizes the property of stickiness in a broader context.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant 'Jelly' (sounds like 'jiāo') that you use to stick two things together! The character 胶 has the radical 背 (bèi) which suggests a 'back' or support, reflecting how glue supports materials by holding them together.

Usage Notes

A common mistake is using 胶 in overly formal contexts where simpler words like 粘 (zhān) for 'stick' might be more appropriate. In addition, remember that 胶 can refer to various types of adhesives, so using it with specific descriptors (like 热胶 for hot glue) can enhance clarity.

HSK Study Tips

Although 胶 is not in the standard HSK levels, it connects well with other common verbs and nouns related to actions and materials. Focus on understanding how it combines with other words like 胶水 (glue water) or 胶带 (adhesive tape) to expand vocabulary.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, adhesive materials like glue (胶) play a significant role in traditional crafts, such as paper cutting and calligraphy, highlighting the importance of precision and artistry in these practices.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 胶 with similar-sounding words, like 交 (jiāo), which means 'to hand over' or 'to交' (jiāo) for 'to intersect.' Always remember that 胶 specifically relates to adhesive substances.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 胶

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 胶 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 胶

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

Tendons that connect 交 muscles ⺼; 交 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 胶?

Decomposition of 胶

IDS Structure⿰⺼交
胶Full Character
=
⺼rou4
left
交jiao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 胶?

Write 胶

胶

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 胶

胶 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 5 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

你要服一粒维生素B____囊。

You are asked to swallow a capsule containing vitamin B.

Common Confusions with 胶

胶vs焦
jiāo

Same pronunciation, but different meanings.

胶vs脚
jiǎo

Similar pronunciation but different meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to glue"?

or

Example Sentences for 胶 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
你要服一粒维生素B胶囊。

nǐ yào fú yī lì wéi shēng sùB B jiāo。

You are asked to swallow a capsule containing vitamin B.
2
将这些瓶子装进箱子里，然后用胶带封好。

jiāng zhè xiē píng zǐ zhuāng jìn xiāng zǐ lǐ， ， rán hòu yòng jiāo dài fēng。

Put the bottles into boxes and tape them up.
3
切辣椒时要戴橡胶手套，因为辣椒会刺激皮肤。

qiē là jiāo shí yào dài xiàng jiāo shǒu tào， ， yīn wéi là jiāo huì cì jī pí。

Wear rubber gloves while chopping chillies as they can irritate the skin.
4
警察说他为了逃避逮捕就吞了一颗氰化物胶囊。

jǐng chá shuō tā wéi le táo bì dài bǔ jiù tūn le yī kē qíng huà wù jiāo náng。

The police say he swallowed a cyanide capsule to avoid arrest.
5
他被撞见拼命想要解开几盘缠在一起的胶卷。

tā bèi zhuàng jiàn pīn mìng xiǎng yào jiě kāi jī pán chán zài yī qǐ de jiāo juàn。

He was found desperately trying to untangle several reels of film.
6
信封被人动过手脚，然后又用胶带封上了。

xìn fēng bèi rén dòng guò shǒu jiǎo， ， rán hòu yòu yòng jiāo dài fēng shàng。

The envelope has been tampered with and then taped shut again.
7
这种发胶会使头发看上去有亮丽的光泽。

zhè zhǒng fā jiāo huì shǐ tóu fā kàn shàng qù yǒu liàng lì de guāng zé。

This gel gives a beautiful shine to the hair.
8
芳香胶囊对缓解鼻塞有奇效。

fāng xiāng jiāo náng duì huǎn jiě bí sāi yǒu qí xiào。

Aromatic capsules are great for easing the discomfort of a stuffy nose.
9
我每天都穿那双旧鞋，有一只鞋底已经脱胶了。

wǒ měi tiān dū chuān nà shuāng jiù xié， ， yǒu yī zhī xié dǐ yǐ jīng tuō jiāo。

I wear my old shoes every day. One sole has come unglued.
10
他们用银色的胶带将所有的门窗都封起来了。

tā mén yòng yín sè de jiāo dài jiāng suǒ yǒu de mén chuāng dū fēng qǐ lái le。

Using silver tape, they taped all the doors and windows shut.

Cultural Notes for 胶

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, adhesive materials like glue (胶) play a significant role in traditional crafts, such as paper cutting and calligraphy, highlighting the importance of precision and artistry in these practices.

Word Family of 胶

Words Containing This Character20
胶jiāoglue膠
橡胶xiàngjiāorubber橡膠
胶带jiāodàiadhesive tape膠帶
胶片jiāopiàn(photographic) film膠片
胶囊jiāonángcaplet膠囊
胶水jiāoshuǐglue膠水
塑胶plastic塑膠
胶卷film膠卷
胶原collagen (protein)膠原
硅胶silica gel硅膠
胶布band-aid膠布
胶质colloid膠質
乳胶latex乳膠
阿胶Taiwan pr. [ā​jiāo]阿膠
胶着to stick onto膠著
明胶gelatin明膠
胶体colloid膠體
胶合板plywood膠合板
果胶pectin果膠
胶州Jiaozhou county level city in Qingdao 青島|青岛, Shandong膠州
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 胶 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 胶

胶 specifically refers to glue or adhesive materials, while 粘 refers to the action of sticking or adhering.