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驕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
驕jiāohaughty, spirited; a wild stallionx, 22 strokes, radical 馬
jiāo(jiao1)jiao T1
  1. 1haughty, spirited; a wild stallion
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March 24, 2026

驕jiāo(jiao1)

The character 驕 (jiāo) primarily means 'haughty' or 'proud,' often describing a person who exhibits arrogance or excessive self-esteem. It can also refer to a spirited horse, emphasizing wildness and independence, which reflects a sense of freedom and untamed nature in certain contexts.

Strokes22Radical馬
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, being described as 驕 can carry significant weight, as humility is often valued over pride. The character may appear in discussions about leadership qualities, where a balance of confidence and humility is ideal.

Memory tip

Imagine a proud stallion standing tall on a hill, its mane flowing in the wind. The character 驕 has the radical for 'horse' (马) on the right, connecting its meaning to the spirited nature of a wild stallion, while the left side represents the idea of elevation or pride.

Meanings of 驕

jiāo(jiao1)
1haughty, spirited; a wild stallion
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 驕

驕Simplified
22Strokes
馬Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 驕

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Podcast: 驕

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AI study notes for 驕

Quick Contrast

傲 (ào) - use 驕 (jiāo) when emphasizing haughtiness or arrogance often in a negative context, while 傲 (ào) can imply pride that may not necessarily be negative.

Usage Notes

This character is often used in a negative context to describe someone's attitude, so it’s important to use it carefully. Learners might confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure to practice the tone correctly, as it's pronounced with a high level tone (jiāo). Common collocations include 驕傲 (jiāo'ào) meaning 'arrogant.'

HSK Study Tips

While 驕 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it can be related to other HSK words describing emotions or personality traits. Students should focus on understanding its usage in context, especially in literature or spoken Chinese where character traits are discussed.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 驕 with 驕傲, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '他很驕傲' (He is very proud) instead of using 驕 to describe haughtiness can lead to inaccuracies. Use 驕 specifically for haughty contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 驕

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Etymology of 驕

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

A proud 喬 horse 馬; 喬 also provides the pronunciation

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

Origin

What kind of character is 驕?

Decomposition of 驕

IDS Structure⿰馬喬
驕Full character
=
馬ma3
left
喬qiao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 驕?

How to say haughty, spirited; a wild stallion in Chinese

“haughty, spirited; a wild stallion” in Chinese is驕jiāo

The character 驕 (jiāo) primarily means 'haughty' or 'proud,' often describing a person who exhibits arrogance or excessive self-esteem. It can also refer to a spirited horse, emphasizing wildness and independence, which reflects a sense of freedom and untamed nature in certain contexts.

When to use 驕

This character is often used in a negative context to describe someone's attitude, so it’s important to use it carefully. Learners might confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure to practice the tone correctly, as it's pronounced with a high level tone (jiāo). Common collocations include 驕傲 (jiāo'ào) meaning 'arrogant.'

驕 or something close to it

傲 (ào) - use 驕 (jiāo) when emphasizing haughtiness or arrogance often in a negative context, while 傲 (ào) can imply pride that may not necessarily be negative.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 驕 with 驕傲, using them interchangeably. For example, saying '他很驕傲' (He is very proud) instead of using 驕 to describe haughtiness can lead to inaccuracies. Use 驕 specifically for haughty contexts.

Write 驕

驕

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

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Word Family of 驕

Words containing this character13
骄傲jiāo’àopride驕傲
骄jiāoproud驕
骄人impressive驕人
骄阳blazing sun驕陽
骄横arrogant驕橫
戒骄戒躁to guard against pride and impatience (idiom); to remain modest and keep cool戒驕戒躁
骄阳似火the sun shines fiercely驕陽似火
骄纵arrogant and willful驕縱
骄奢淫逸decadent驕奢淫逸
骄气arrogance驕氣
骄矜haughty驕矜
骄兵必败fig. pride goes before a fall驕兵必敗
骄奢淫佚decadent驕奢淫佚
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 驕

What does 骄傲 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 驕

驕傲 (jiāo'ào) specifically means 'arrogant' or 'proud,' while 驕 (jiāo) can describe a broader sense of haughtiness or spiritedness, including its positive connotation of being spirited like a wild horse.

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