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茭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
茭jiāoan edible aquatic grass; Zizania aquatican, 9 strokes, radical 艹
jiāo(jiao1) T1
  1. 1an edible aquatic grass; Zizania aquatica
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March 24, 2026

茭jiāo(jiao1)

茭 (jiāo) refers to an edible aquatic grass commonly known as wild rice, specifically the species Zizania aquatica. This plant is often found in wetlands and is notable for its long, slender stems and edible seeds, which are used in various culinary dishes, particularly in southern Chinese cuisine.

Strokes9Radical艹
Cultural Note

In Chinese cuisine, particularly in regions near water bodies, 茭 is valued for its unique flavor and texture, often used in traditional dishes during festivals or celebrations. Its cultural significance is tied to the importance of rice and aquatic plants in Chinese agriculture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tall grass standing proud in a marsh, swaying gently in the breeze. The character 茭 looks like a grass plant (the radical '艹' on top) growing in water (the bottom part resembles a wave), reminding you of its aquatic environment and its name 'jiāo', which sounds like 'jow' as in 'jowly fish' that might swim nearby.

Meanings of 茭

jiāo(jiao1)
1an edible aquatic grass; Zizania aquatica
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 茭

茭Simplified
9Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 茭

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Podcast: 茭

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AI Study Notes for 茭

Usage Notes

Be mindful that 茭 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, so it might come across as more formal or technical in contexts like botany or cuisine. Common mistakes include confusing it with other grass-related words; remember that 茭 specifically refers to this type of aquatic grass.

HSK Study Tips

Given that 茭 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, learners should focus on building related vocabulary around plants and food. Connecting it with similar characters like 草 (cǎo) for grass can help reinforce understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 茭 with similar-sounding characters like 娇 (jiāo), which means delicate or lovely. Remember that 茭 relates to a type of grass, not a description of something's appearance.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 茭

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Etymology of 茭

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

grass

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 茭

  1. 1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half交 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaygrass
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 茭? 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 茭?

Decomposition of 茭

IDS Structure⿱艹交
茭Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
交jiao1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 茭?

How to say an edible aquatic grass; Zizania aquatica in Chinese

“an edible aquatic grass; Zizania aquatica” in Chinese is茭jiāo

茭 (jiāo) refers to an edible aquatic grass commonly known as wild rice, specifically the species Zizania aquatica. This plant is often found in wetlands and is notable for its long, slender stems and edible seeds, which are used in various culinary dishes, particularly in southern Chinese cuisine.

When to use 茭

Be mindful that 茭 is not commonly used in everyday conversation, so it might come across as more formal or technical in contexts like botany or cuisine. Common mistakes include confusing it with other grass-related words; remember that 茭 specifically refers to this type of aquatic grass.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 茭 with similar-sounding characters like 娇 (jiāo), which means delicate or lovely. Remember that 茭 relates to a type of grass, not a description of something's appearance.

Write 茭

茭

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

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Word Family of 茭

Words Containing This Character2
茭白water bamboo
茭jiāoZizania aquatica
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 茭白 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 茭

茭 has a mild, slightly nutty flavor and a crunchy texture, making it a delightful addition to soups and stir-fries.

Jason Recommends

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