Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
颻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
颻yáofloating in the air; drifting on the windx, 19 strokes, radical 風
yáo(yao2) T2
  1. 1floating in the air; drifting on the wind
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

颻yáo(yao2)

The character 颻 (yáo) refers to the action of floating in the air or drifting on the wind. It is often used in poetic or literary contexts to describe lightness or the ethereal quality of objects or beings that are carried by the breeze, such as leaves or feathers.

Strokes19Radical風
Cultural Note

In Chinese poetry, imagery of drifting leaves or floating clouds is common, symbolizing freedom and the transient nature of life. The use of 颻 often evokes a sense of serenity and beauty in nature.

Memory Tip

Imagine a feather floating gracefully through the air, almost like it is dancing with the wind. The character 颻 has a radical that suggests movement (风, 'wind'), which can help you remember that it relates to floating or drifting.

Meanings of 颻

yáo(yao2)
1floating in the air; drifting on the wind
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 颻

颻Simplified
19Strokes
風Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 颻

JasonAmy

Podcast: 颻

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 颻

Quick Contrast

漂 (piāo) vs 飘 (piāo) — use 颻 (yáo) for a more poetic or ethereal sense of floating, while 漂 (piāo) emphasizes a more general sense of drifting, and 飘 (piāo) often describes the action of fluttering or swaying.

Usage Notes

While 颻 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, it tends to be more common in literary expressions. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar characters that have different tones, as this can change the meaning significantly.

HSK Study Tips

Although 颻 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be connected to descriptive words about nature that students may encounter at higher levels. Focus on its phonetics and how it may appear in literary texts when studying advanced vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 颻 with similar-sounding characters and may use incorrect tones. For instance, saying 'yáo' with a falling tone instead of the rising tone can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 颻

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 颻 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 颻

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

wind

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 颻

  1. 1The meaning half風 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half䍃 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywind
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 颻? 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 颻?

Decomposition of 颻

IDS Structure⿰䍃風
颻Full Character
=
䍃you2
left
風feng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 颻?

How to say floating in the air; drifting on the wind in Chinese

“floating in the air; drifting on the wind” in Chinese is颻yáo

The character 颻 (yáo) refers to the action of floating in the air or drifting on the wind. It is often used in poetic or literary contexts to describe lightness or the ethereal quality of objects or beings that are carried by the breeze, such as leaves or feathers.

When to use 颻

While 颻 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, it tends to be more common in literary expressions. Be cautious not to confuse it with similar characters that have different tones, as this can change the meaning significantly.

颻 or something close to it

漂 (piāo) vs 飘 (piāo) — use 颻 (yáo) for a more poetic or ethereal sense of floating, while 漂 (piāo) emphasizes a more general sense of drifting, and 飘 (piāo) often describes the action of fluttering or swaying.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 颻 with similar-sounding characters and may use incorrect tones. For instance, saying 'yáo' with a falling tone instead of the rising tone can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 颻

颻

Practice writing 颻 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 颻

Words Containing This Character1
飖yáofloating in the air颻
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 飖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 颻

It is not commonly used in everyday conversation, but when it is, it usually describes something that floats or drifts in the air.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 颻?

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.