to show, to express, to display; outside, appearance; a watch
zg, 16 strokes, radical 釒, Very Hard
biǎo(biao3) T3
1to show, to express, to display; outside, appearance; a watch
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
錶biǎo(biao3)
The character 錶 (biǎo) primarily means 'watch' or 'clock', referring to timekeeping devices worn on the wrist or displayed in a room. It can also convey the concepts of showing or expressing something, often related to appearances or external displays. In contexts like fashion or personal style, it signifies how someone presents themselves to the world.
Strokes16Radical釒Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, giving a watch is often seen as a significant gift, symbolizing the hope for the recipient to cherish time and live a prosperous life. Watches are popular in both daily life and as fashion statements.
Memory Tip
Imagine a shiny watch on your wrist displaying time. The character 錶 can be broken down: 錢 (money) and 表 (to show) — think of a watch showing you the time and its value as a fashionable accessory.
Meanings of 錶
biǎo(biao3)
1to show, to express, to display; outside, appearance; a watch
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 錶
錶Simplified
16Strokes
釒Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 錶
Podcast: 錶
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 錶
Quick Contrast
表 (biǎo) - use 錶 (biǎo) when specifically referring to a watch or wristwatch, while 表 (biǎo) can refer to various types of displays or expressions.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a shiny watch on your wrist displaying time. The character 錶 can be broken down: 錢 (money) and 表 (to show) — think of a watch showing you the time and its value as a fashionable accessory.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the pronunciation; the third tone biǎo can easily be confused with other tones. Common collocations include '手錶' (shǒubiǎo - wristwatch) and '電子錶' (diànzǐbiǎo - digital watch). It's an informal term, so use it in casual conversations rather than formal writing.
HSK Study Tips
While 錶 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it relates to other HSK words like '表達' (biǎodá - to express) and '表現' (biǎoxiàn - to show performance). Focus on recognizing the character's components and using it in everyday contexts.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, giving a watch is often seen as a significant gift, symbolizing the hope for the recipient to cherish time and live a prosperous life. Watches are popular in both daily life and as fashion statements.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 錶 (biǎo) with 表 (biǎo) when referring to watches. For example, saying '我有一個表' (wǒ yǒu yī gè biǎo) is correct for 'I have a watch', but contextually, using 錶 is more precise. Instead, say '我有一個錶'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 錶
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 錶 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声å—)~80-90% of characters
Explanation
Depicts clothes (衣) made from fur (毛), typically the outermost layer of clothing. In simplified Chinese 表 is also used to mean "wristwatch", while in traditional Chinese this meaning is written with a separate character 錶.
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 錶 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Cultural Notes for 錶
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, giving a watch is often seen as a significant gift, symbolizing the hope for the recipient to cherish time and live a prosperous life. Watches are popular in both daily life and as fashion statements.
Word Family of 錶
Words Containing This Character20
表现biǎoxiànto show表現
表示biǎoshìto express
表演biǎoyǎnplay
代表dàibiǎodelegate
表biǎoa model
发表fābiǎoto issue發表
表达biǎodáto express表達
表明biǎomíngto make clear
表情biǎoqíngexpression
表面biǎomiànsurface
外表wàibiǎoexternal
手表shǒubiǎowrist watch手錶
代表团dàibiǎotuándelegation代表團
表决biǎojuéto vote表決
表格biǎogéform
表态biǎotàito declare one's position表態
表弟younger male cousin via female line
时间表shíjiānbiǎoschedule時間表
表扬biǎoyángto praise表揚
表彰biǎozhāngto honor
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 表现 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 錶
Wristwatch is '手錶' (shǒubiǎo).
表 (biǎo) is a more general term for 'watch' or 'display', while 錶 specifically refers to timekeeping watches.
Yes, you can specify types like '電子錶' (diànzǐbiǎo - digital watch) or '機械錶' (jīxièbiǎo - mechanical watch).
