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觉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
觉jiàoa napHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉jiàoto feelHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉jiàoa sleepHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉jiàoto find thatHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉jiàothinkingHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉jiàoawakeHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉jiàoawareHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉jiàoconscious; to nap, to sleep; to wake upHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉juéa napHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉juéto feelHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉juéa sleepHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉juéto find thatHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉juéthinkingHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉juéawakeHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉juéawareHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
觉juéconscious; to nap, to sleep; to wake upHSK 6, v, 9 strokes, radical 见, rank #2200, Hard
jiào(jiao4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1a nap
  2. 2to feel
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

觉(覺)jiào(jiao4)

The character 觉 (jiào) primarily means 'to feel' or 'to wake up.' It is often used in contexts related to sleep, such as taking a nap or awakening from sleep. Additionally, it can imply a sense of awareness or consciousness, making it applicable in both physical and mental states.

Strokes9Radical见Frequency#2200DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of waking up (觉) can symbolize enlightenment or realization, often found in philosophical texts. Napping is also culturally accepted and encouraged, especially in workplaces to improve productivity.

Memory Tip

Think of a person waking up from a nap, feeling refreshed and aware of their surroundings. The character 觉 looks like an eye (the top part) that opens up, signaling awareness, while the bottom part resembles a bed where one sleeps.

Meanings of 觉

jiào(jiao4)
primary
1a nap
2to feel
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 觉

觉Simplified
覺Traditional
9Strokes
见Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2200Frequency Rank
场Measure Word
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 觉

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Podcast: 觉

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AI Study Notes for 觉

Quick Contrast

觉 (jiào) vs 醒 (xǐng) — use 觉 when referring to the act of feeling or being aware, while 醒 specifically denotes the action of waking up from sleep.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 觉 with other similar-sounding words like 学 (xué, to learn) or 叫 (jiào, to call). It's generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with tones, as mispronouncing can change meanings. Common collocations include 觉醒 (juéxǐng, to awaken) and 睡觉 (shuìjiào, to sleep).

HSK Study Tips

Although 觉 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it connects with words about awareness and states of being. Students should focus on its usage in phrases and how it combines with other characters, such as in 觉醒 or 觉察 (to perceive).

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 觉 (jiào) with 叫 (jiào), leading to incorrect phrases like '我叫到很累' instead of '我觉得到很累.' Always remember that 觉 is about feeling or awareness, not calling.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 觉

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Etymology of 觉

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

Phonosemantic compound. 见 represents the meaning and 学 represents the sound. Simplified form of 學. Only the top part of 学 is used, which prevents the character from being too crowded.

Memory Hint

see

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 觉

Phonosemantic compound. 见 represents the meaning and 学 represents the sound. Simplified form of 學. Only the top part of 学 is used, which prevents the character from being too crowded.

  1. 1The meaning half见 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half⺍ is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysee
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 觉? 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 觉?

Decomposition of 觉

IDS Structure⿳⺍冖见
觉Full Character
=
⺍xiao3
top
冖mi4
middle
见jian4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 觉?

How to say a nap in Chinese

“a nap” in Chinese is觉jiào

The character 觉 (jiào) primarily means 'to feel' or 'to wake up.' It is often used in contexts related to sleep, such as taking a nap or awakening from sleep. Additionally, it can imply a sense of awareness or consciousness, making it applicable in both physical and mental states.

When to use 觉

Common mistakes include confusing 觉 with other similar-sounding words like 学 (xué, to learn) or 叫 (jiào, to call). It's generally used in both formal and informal contexts, but be cautious with tones, as mispronouncing can change meanings. Common collocations include 觉醒 (juéxǐng, to awaken) and 睡觉 (shuìjiào, to sleep).

觉 or something close to it

觉 (jiào) vs 醒 (xǐng) — use 觉 when referring to the act of feeling or being aware, while 醒 specifically denotes the action of waking up from sleep.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 觉 (jiào) with 叫 (jiào), leading to incorrect phrases like '我叫到很累' instead of '我觉得到很累.' Always remember that 觉 is about feeling or awareness, not calling.

Write 觉

觉

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 觉

觉 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我每天晚上十一点睡____。

I go to sleep at 11 p.m. every night.

Example Sentences for 觉 (16)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
va nap10
1
我感觉到后腰一阵剧痛。

wǒ gǎn jué dào hòu yāo yī zhèn jù tòng。

I felt a sharp pain in my lower back.
2
我觉得他们嘲笑我是因为我长得丑。

wǒ jué dé tā mén cháo xiào wǒ shì yīn wéi wǒ cháng dé chǒu。

I thought they were laughing at me because I was ugly.
3
我觉得自己应该放声歌唱。

wǒ jué dé zì jǐ yīng gāi fàng shēng gē chàng。

I feel as if I should break into song.
4
我觉得签这个协议真傻。

wǒ jué dé qiān zhè gè xié yì zhēn shǎ。

I feel such a mug for signing the agreement.
5
我觉得那样做也许可以让他们冰释前嫌。

wǒ jué dé nà yàng zuò yě xǔ kě yǐ ràng tā mén bīng shì qián xián。

I felt that might well mend the rift between them.
6
我从未有过如此安全的感觉。

wǒ cóng wèi yǒu guò rú cǐ ān quán de gǎn jué。

I couldn't remember ever having felt so safe and secure.
7
我觉得她不但长得非常漂亮，而且还有很多优秀品质。

wǒ jué dé tā bù dàn cháng dé fēi cháng piāo liàng， ， ér qiě huán yǒu hěn duō yōu xiù pǐn。

I think she has many good qualities besides being very beautiful.
8
母亲总是使我觉得自己不够优秀。

mǔ qīn zǒng shì shǐ wǒ jué dé zì jǐ bù gòu yōu xiù。

My mother always made me feel I wasn't coming up to scratch.
9
为什么我感觉又被利用了？

wéi shí mó wǒ gǎn jué yòu bèi lì yòng le？

Why do I have the feeling I'm being used again?
10
我觉得我们斗志高昂。

wǒ jué dé wǒ mén dǒu zhì gāo áng。

I thought that we had a lot of fight in us.
vto feel6
11
我觉得这本书充满了智慧和幽默。

Wǒ juéde zhè běn shū chōngmǎnle zhìhuì hé yōumò.

I feel this book is full of wisdom and humor.
12
他总是让我觉得自己很特别。

Tā zǒngshì ràng wǒ juéde zìjǐ hěn tèbié.

He always makes me feel very special.
13
我觉得这个城市充满了活力和机会。

Wǒ juédé zhège chéngshì chōngmǎn le huólì hé jīhuì.

I feel that this city is full of energy and opportunities.
14
她觉得今天的会议非常有建设性。

Tā juédé jīntiān de huìyì fēicháng yǒu jiànshè xìng.

She feels that today's meeting was very constructive.
15
我觉得这次旅行让人心旷神怡。

Wǒ juédé zhè cì lǚxíng ràng rén xīnkuàngshényí.

I feel that this trip is refreshing and delightful.
16
他觉得自己的努力终于有了回报。

Tā juédé zìjǐ de nǔlì zhōngyú yǒule huíbào.

He feels that his efforts have finally paid off.

Word Family of 觉

Compounds1
搅jiao3to disturb
Words Containing This Character20
觉得juédeto think覺得
感觉gǎnjuéto feel感覺
睡觉shuìjiàoto go to bed睡覺
觉jiàoto feel覺
自觉zìjuéconscious自覺
感觉到to feel感覺到
视觉shìjuésight視覺
发觉fājuéto detect發覺
直觉zhíjuéintuition直覺
幻觉huànjuéillusion幻覺
觉悟juéwùto realize覺悟
察觉chájuéto sense察覺
不知不觉bùzhībùjuéunconsciously不知不覺
知觉zhījuéperception知覺
错觉cuòjuéillusion錯覺
觉醒juéxǐngto awaken覺醒
警觉alert警覺
听觉sense of hearing聽覺
午觉siesta午覺
嗅觉xiùjuésense of smell嗅覺
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 搅 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 觉

You can say '我觉得到很累' (Wǒ jué dào hěn lèi), which means 'I feel very tired.'

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