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March 24, 2026
僬jiāo(Jiao1)
The character 僬 (jiāo) conveys meanings related to being clever or alert, often used to describe someone who is quick-witted or sharp-minded. It can also refer to a specific type of small creature, such as a pigmy. This character is less common in everyday language but can be found in certain compound words that describe cleverness or agility.
Strokes14Radical亻Frequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, cleverness and alertness are often valued traits, especially in storytelling and folklore, where characters who are quick-witted tend to outsmart others. The character's use in literature can reflect these cultural values.
Memory Tip
Think of 僬 as a clever little creature darting around, quick and smart. The left part (亻) represents a person, while the right part (喬) can remind you of a 'clever' sound, as if the creature is always alert and ready to respond.
Meanings of 僬
jiāo(Jiao1)
1clever, alert; pigmy
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 僬
僬Simplified
14Strokes
亻Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 僬
Podcast: 僬
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AI Study Notes for 僬
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 僬 as a clever little creature darting around, quick and smart. The left part (亻) represents a person, while the right part (喬) can remind you of a 'clever' sound, as if the creature is always alert and ready to respond.
Usage Notes
When using 僬, be cautious as it is not commonly used in daily conversation. It tends to appear in literary or poetic contexts. Learners should also note the tonal pronunciation, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with other characters.
HSK Study Tips
Although 僬 is not found in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be useful for learners aiming to deepen their understanding of nuanced vocabulary. Focus on its usage in combination with other characters like 僬侥 (jiāo yáo) to see how it functions in context.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, cleverness and alertness are often valued traits, especially in storytelling and folklore, where characters who are quick-witted tend to outsmart others. The character's use in literature can reflect these cultural values.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 僬 with similar characters that convey different meanings, such as 嫌 (xián) which means to dislike. A common mistake is to mispronounce it as jiào instead of jiāo.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 僬
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Cultural Notes for 僬
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, cleverness and alertness are often valued traits, especially in storytelling and folklore, where characters who are quick-witted tend to outsmart others. The character's use in literature can reflect these cultural values.
Word Family of 僬
Words Containing This Character1
僬jiāoJiao Yao
Exercise 1 of 1
Compound Meaning
What does 僬 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 僬
No, 僬 is not commonly used in everyday conversation; it is more often found in literary texts.
Common phrases include 僬侥 (clever and agile), but these are less frequently encountered.
You can remember the pronunciation by associating it with the sound of a quick, clever creature, as if it’s always alert.
