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苕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
苕sháorush, reed; trumpet vinen, 8 strokes, radical 艹
苕sháoreed grassunknown, 8 strokes, radical 艹
苕sháoChinese trumpet vine (Campsis grandiflora) (old)unknown, 8 strokes, radical 艹
苕tiáorush, reed; trumpet vinen, 8 strokes, radical 艹
苕tiáoreed grassunknown, 8 strokes, radical 艹
苕tiáoChinese trumpet vine (Campsis grandiflora) (old)unknown, 8 strokes, radical 艹
sháo(shao2)
primary
T2
  1. 1rush, reed; trumpet vine
  2. 2reed grass
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

苕sháo(shao2)

苕 (sháo) refers to various types of plants, particularly rushes and reeds. It is often associated with traditional Chinese landscapes and can be used to describe the Chinese trumpet vine, known for its trumpet-shaped flowers. This character is typically used in literary or poetic contexts, highlighting its natural beauty.

Strokes8Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, plants like 苕 are often associated with natural beauty and harmony, frequently appearing in traditional poetry and art. The Chinese trumpet vine is known for its vibrant flowers, symbolizing vitality and elegance.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tall rush swaying in the wind with a trumpet playing nearby. The character 苕 resembles a plant with its grass-like top (艹) and the sound of 'sháo' can be thought of as the soft whisper of the wind through the reeds.

Meanings of 苕

sháo(shao2)
primary
1rush, reed; trumpet vine
2reed grass
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 苕

苕Simplified
8Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 苕

JasonAmy

Podcast: 苕

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 苕

Usage Notes

苕 is often used in poetic or literary contexts, making it less common in everyday conversation. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; be cautious with tones. It usually appears in more formal or artistic expressions.

HSK Study Tips

苕 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it connects to other plant-related words like 草 (cǎo, grass) and 花 (huā, flower). Focus on understanding its use in literature and poetry, as it is less relevant for daily conversation.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 苕 with similar characters like 草 (cǎo) or 蕉 (jiāo), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我喜欢苕' (wǒ xǐhuān sháo) to mean 'I like grass' is incorrect; it should be '草'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 苕

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Etymology of 苕

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

plant

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 苕

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half召 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayplant
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 苕? 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 苕?

Decomposition of 苕

IDS Structure⿱艹召
苕Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
召Shao4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 苕?

How to say rush, reed; trumpet vine in Chinese

“rush, reed; trumpet vine” in Chinese is苕sháo

苕 (sháo) refers to various types of plants, particularly rushes and reeds. It is often associated with traditional Chinese landscapes and can be used to describe the Chinese trumpet vine, known for its trumpet-shaped flowers. This character is typically used in literary or poetic contexts, highlighting its natural beauty.

When to use 苕

苕 is often used in poetic or literary contexts, making it less common in everyday conversation. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; be cautious with tones. It usually appears in more formal or artistic expressions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 苕 with similar characters like 草 (cǎo) or 蕉 (jiāo), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我喜欢苕' (wǒ xǐhuān sháo) to mean 'I like grass' is incorrect; it should be '草'.

Write 苕

苕

Practice writing 苕 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 苕

Words Containing This Character2
苕sháoreed grass
红苕(dialect) sweet potato or yam紅苕
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 苕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 苕

It is pronounced as 'sháo' with a rising tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 苕?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.