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殍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
殍piǎoto starve to deathx, 11 strokes, radical 歹
殍piǎodie of starvationunknown, 11 strokes, radical 歹
piǎo(piao3)piao T3
  1. 1to starve to death
  2. 2die of starvation
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March 24, 2026

殍piǎo(piao3)

The character 殍 (piǎo) refers to the act of dying from starvation. It is often used to describe extreme conditions where a lack of food leads to death, emphasizing the severity of hunger. This term may appear in literary or historical contexts rather than in everyday conversation.

Strokes11Radical歹
Cultural note

In Chinese history, famines have had significant impacts, and terms like 殍 evoke the tragic consequences of these events, often depicted in literature and historical accounts. Understanding this word can provide insight into the gravity of food scarcity in Chinese culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a person hunched over in despair, too weak to stand, representing the drastic act of starving. The character 殍 has the radical '殳' which relates to death or violence, resembling the grim outcome of starvation, combined with '木' suggesting something that cannot grow due to lack of nourishment.

Meanings of 殍

piǎo(piao3)
1to starve to death
2die of starvation
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 殍

殍Simplified
11Strokes
歹Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 殍

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AI study notes for 殍

Usage Notes

This term is quite formal and rarely used in casual dialogue; it's more likely to appear in literature or discussions about historical famines. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding words, so pay attention to tone and pronunciation.

HSK Study Tips

While 殍 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to HSK Level 5's focus on more complex, nuanced words related to life and death. Students should focus on the radicals and pronunciation to distinguish it from other words.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 殍 by mixing up the tones, saying 'piāo' instead of 'piǎo'. Additionally, some might confuse it with other characters related to hunger but not specifically to starvation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 殍

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Etymology of 殍

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

death

Semantic (meaning)歹
+
Phonetic (sound)孚
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

殍 = 歹 + 孚. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 殍

IDS Structure⿰歹孚
殍Full character
=
歹dai3
left
孚fu2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 殍?

How to say to starve to death in Chinese

“to starve to death” in Chinese is殍piǎo

The character 殍 (piǎo) refers to the act of dying from starvation. It is often used to describe extreme conditions where a lack of food leads to death, emphasizing the severity of hunger. This term may appear in literary or historical contexts rather than in everyday conversation.

When to use 殍

This term is quite formal and rarely used in casual dialogue; it's more likely to appear in literature or discussions about historical famines. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding words, so pay attention to tone and pronunciation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 殍 by mixing up the tones, saying 'piāo' instead of 'piǎo'. Additionally, some might confuse it with other characters related to hunger but not specifically to starvation.

Write 殍

殍

Practice writing 殍 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 殍

Words containing this character3
饿殍starving people餓殍
殍piǎodie of starvation
饿殍载道starved corpses fill the roads (idiom); state of famine餓殍載道
Exercise 1 of 2

Words with 殍

What does 饿殍 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 殍

No, it is rarely used in casual speech and is more appropriate for literary contexts.

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