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荞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
荞qiáobuckwheatzg, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #86351, Very Hard
荞qiáocommon mallow (Malva sinesis)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 艹, rank #86351, Very Hard
qiáo(qiao2)qiao T2
  1. 1buckwheat
  2. 2common mallow (Malva sinesis)
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March 24, 2026

荞(荍)qiáo(qiao2)

荞 (qiáo) primarily refers to buckwheat, a plant cultivated for its grain-like seeds, commonly used in various cuisines. It can also refer to common mallow, which is a flowering plant. This character is often encountered in discussions about healthy foods and traditional Chinese agriculture.

Strokes9Radical艹Frequency#86351DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese cuisine, buckwheat is valued for its health benefits and is often used to make traditional dishes like '荞麦面' (qiáomài miàn, 'buckwheat noodles'), especially in regions like Shanxi. Its cultivation has historical significance in agrarian societies.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'cow' (the radical 牛, 'niú') in a 'field' (田, 'tián') of buckwheat. Picture the cow joyfully eating the green plants while you say 'qiáo' out loud, connecting the image of the cow, the field, and the unique taste of buckwheat.

Meanings of 荞

qiáo(qiao2)
1buckwheat
2common mallow (Malva sinesis)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 荞

荞Simplified
荍Traditional
9Strokes
艹Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 荞

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Podcast: 荞

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AI Study Notes for 荞

Usage Notes

荞 is primarily used in agricultural and culinary contexts, often paired with words like '面' (miàn, 'noodle') to indicate buckwheat noodles. Learners should be cautious about the pronunciation, as the 'q' sound can be tricky. It is used in both formal and informal registers.

HSK Study Tips

Although 荞 is not included in the standard HSK vocabulary, it connects with HSK Level 4's focus on food and agriculture. Students should practice differentiating it from similar-sounding words like '桥' (qiáo, 'bridge') to enhance their listening and speaking skills.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 荞 with similar characters like 蕎. For example, saying '蕎麦面' instead of '荞麦面' is incorrect. Make sure to use 荞 when referring specifically to buckwheat.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 荞

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Etymology of 荞

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

A tall 乔 grass 艹; 乔 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 荞?

Decomposition of 荞

IDS Structure⿱艹乔
荞Full character
=
艹cao3
top
乔Qiao2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

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How to say buckwheat in Chinese

“buckwheat” in Chinese is荞qiáo

荞 (qiáo) primarily refers to buckwheat, a plant cultivated for its grain-like seeds, commonly used in various cuisines. It can also refer to common mallow, which is a flowering plant. This character is often encountered in discussions about healthy foods and traditional Chinese agriculture.

When to use 荞

荞 is primarily used in agricultural and culinary contexts, often paired with words like '面' (miàn, 'noodle') to indicate buckwheat noodles. Learners should be cautious about the pronunciation, as the 'q' sound can be tricky. It is used in both formal and informal registers.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 荞 with similar characters like 蕎. For example, saying '蕎麦面' instead of '荞麦面' is incorrect. Make sure to use 荞 when referring specifically to buckwheat.

Write 荞

荞

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Word Family of 荞

Words containing this character2
荞麦buckwheat蕎麥
荞qiáobuckwheat荍
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 荞

What does 荞麦 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 荞

荞 is a variant of 蕎, both referring to buckwheat, but 荞 is more commonly used in certain regions.

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