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鍬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
鍬qiāoshovelzg, 17 strokes, radical 釒
qiāo(qiao1) T1
  1. 1shovel
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

鍬qiāo(qiao1)

鍬 (qiāo) refers to a shovel, a common tool used for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials. It is primarily used in agricultural or construction contexts, emphasizing its practical utility in various manual labor tasks.

Strokes17Radical釒
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, farming tools like the shovel have played a significant role in agricultural practices, reflecting the importance of agriculture in Chinese society. The significance of such tools is often highlighted in festivals that celebrate harvests.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant shovel made of metal, gleaming in the sun. The character 鍬 combines the metal radical '金' (jin) which represents 'metal', suggesting that shovels are often made from metal, and the phonetic component '喬' (qiáo), which sounds like 'qiāo'. Picture a farmer shouting 'qiāo!' as they use their shovel in the field.

Meanings of 鍬

qiāo(qiao1)
1shovel
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 鍬

鍬Simplified
17Strokes
釒Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 鍬

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Podcast: 鍬

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AI Study Notes for 鍬

Usage Notes

When using 鍬, remember it is generally used in more formal contexts related to work or agriculture. Common collocations include phrases like '鍬土' (qiāo tǔ), meaning 'to shovel soil'. Be careful of tone; mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other words.

HSK Study Tips

Although 鍬 is not included in the HSK levels, it relates to practical vocabulary that might appear in higher-level contexts about daily life and work. Focus on its usage in agricultural or construction-related conversations, as it may help to expand your vocabulary in these domains.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 鍬 with similar sounding words. For instance, saying 'qiāo' instead of 'qiào' (meaning 'to tilt') can lead to misunderstandings. Always ensure you're using the correct tones to convey the right meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 鍬

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Etymology of 鍬

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 秋 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鍬.

Memory Hint

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 鍬

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 秋 represents the sound. Simplified form of 鍬.

  1. 1The meaning half釒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half秋 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymetal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 鍬? 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 鍬?

Decomposition of 鍬

IDS Structure⿰釒秋
鍬Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
秋Qiu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 鍬?

How to say shovel in Chinese

“shovel” in Chinese is鍬qiāo

鍬 (qiāo) refers to a shovel, a common tool used for digging, lifting, and moving bulk materials. It is primarily used in agricultural or construction contexts, emphasizing its practical utility in various manual labor tasks.

When to use 鍬

When using 鍬, remember it is generally used in more formal contexts related to work or agriculture. Common collocations include phrases like '鍬土' (qiāo tǔ), meaning 'to shovel soil'. Be careful of tone; mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 鍬 with similar sounding words. For instance, saying 'qiāo' instead of 'qiào' (meaning 'to tilt') can lead to misunderstandings. Always ensure you're using the correct tones to convey the right meaning.

Write 鍬

鍬

Practice writing 鍬 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 鍬

Words Containing This Character2
铁锹spade鐵鍬
锹qiāoshovel鍬
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 铁锹 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 鍬

The correct pronunciation is 'qiāo', with a high and level tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 鍬?

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.