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March 24, 2026
跤jiāo(jiao1)
The character 跤 (jiāo) primarily means to tumble or fall, and it can also refer to wrestling. It is often used in contexts related to physical activities or sports, particularly those involving falling or grappling. The nuance of this term conveys a sense of losing balance rather than simply falling accidentally.
Strokes13Radical足Frequency#12850DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese martial arts and sports culture, the concept of falling or tumbling is often seen as a part of training and skill development. Martial artists practice techniques that involve controlled falls to prevent injury, highlighting the importance of balance and technique.
Memory Tip
Imagine a wrestler in a ring (the 'j' in jiāo sounds like 'judo') who tumbles to the ground, creating a dramatic scene. The character 跤 has a radical that resembles a person (走) in motion, emphasizing falling or tumbling.
Meanings of 跤
jiāo(jiao1)
1to tumble, to fall; to wrestle
2a tumble
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 跤
跤Simplified
13Strokes
足Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 跤
Podcast: 跤
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AI Study Notes for 跤
Quick Contrast
摔 (shuāi) vs 跌 (diē): Choose 跤 (jiāo) when emphasizing a loss of balance during a fall, while 摔 (shuāi) focuses on the act of falling or being thrown down, and 跌 (diē) generally refers to a fall without the wrestling context.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a wrestler in a ring (the 'j' in jiāo sounds like 'judo') who tumbles to the ground, creating a dramatic scene. The character 跤 has a radical that resembles a person (走) in motion, emphasizing falling or tumbling.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone, as jiāo is in the first tone and can be confused with similar-sounding words. It is more commonly used in informal contexts, particularly in sports or physical activities. Collocations include phrases like 跤倒 (jiāo dǎo - to fall over) or 摔跤 (shuāi jiāo - to wrestle).
HSK Study Tips
While 跤 is not currently listed in the HSK vocabulary, it relates to other words at this level that involve movement or physical actions. Focus on the pronunciation and context of usage to build a stronger vocabulary around sports or physical activities.
Cultural Note
In Chinese martial arts and sports culture, the concept of falling or tumbling is often seen as a part of training and skill development. Martial artists practice techniques that involve controlled falls to prevent injury, highlighting the importance of balance and technique.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 跤 with 倒 (dǎo), which also means to fall but lacks the wrestling context. For example, saying '我摔跤' (wǒ shuāi dǎo) instead of '我跤' (wǒ jiāo) misses the specific nuance of wrestling or tumbling.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 跤
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Grammar Patterns of 跤
跤 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 3 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
她这一____跌得这么重，我想是救不过来了。
She fell so heavily I thought she was a goner.
Example Sentences for 跤 (10)
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1
她这一跤跌得这么重，我想是救不过来了。
tā zhè yī jiāo diē dé zhè mó zhòng， ， wǒ xiǎng shì jiù bù guò lái。
She fell so heavily I thought she was a goner.
2
他年纪太大，经不起那么摔一跤。
tā nián jì tài dà， ， jīng bù qǐ nà mó shuāi yī。
He's too old to come through a fall like that.
3
他们教我摔跤。
tā mén jiào wǒ shuāi jiāo。
They taught me to wrestle.
4
他教他小弟弟如何摔跤.
tā jiào tā xiǎo dì dì rú hé shuāi jiāo.
He taught his little brother how to wrestle.
5
他在不平的地上绊了一跤,摔了个嘴啃地.
tā zài bù píng de dì shàng bàn le yī jiāo, , shuāi le gè zuǐ kěn.
He stumbled on the uneven ground and fell flat on his face.
Hungry, cold, I tripped and fell, scraping my hands.
7
他们吹口哨挑逗我，我窘迫之下绊了一跤。
tā mén chuī kǒu shào tiāo dòu wǒ， ， wǒ jiǒng pò zhī xià bàn le yī。
They wolf-whistled at me, and I was so embarrassed I tripped up.
8
她这一跤摔得真够受的.
tā zhè yī jiāo shuāi dé zhēn gòu shòu de.
She had a really bad fall.
9
保罗吹嘘他溜冰溜得很棒, 但跌了一跤后, 他却哭笑不得.
bǎo luó chuī xū tā liū bīng liū dé hěn bàng, , dàn diē le yī jiāo, hòu , tā què kū xiào.
Paul boasted that he was a good skater, but after he fell, he laughed on the other side of his face.
10
我摔了一跤，把膝盖擦破了。
wǒ shuāi le yī jiāo， ， bǎ xī gài cā pò。
I grazed my knee when I fell.
Cultural Notes for 跤
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese martial arts and sports culture, the concept of falling or tumbling is often seen as a part of training and skill development. Martial artists practice techniques that involve controlled falls to prevent injury, highlighting the importance of balance and technique.
Word Family of 跤
Words Containing This Character3
摔跤shuāijiāoto wrestle
跤jiāoa tumble
跌跤to fall down
Exercise 1 of 3
Compound Meaning
What does 摔跤 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 跤
While both can mean to fall, 跤 (jiāo) often implies a more active or intentional fall, such as during wrestling, while 摔倒 (shuāi dǎo) is used for general falling.
Yes, it's commonly used in phrases related to wrestling or physical struggles, like 摔跤.
It is pronounced with a high tone, jiāo, where the 'j' is similar to 'j' in 'judge'.
