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交 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
交
jiāo
to hand over
HSK 4, v, 6 strokes, radical 亠, rank #863, Medium
交
jiāo
to deliver
HSK 4, v, 6 strokes, radical 亠, rank #863, Medium
交
jiāo
to pay (money)
HSK 4, v, 6 strokes, radical 亠, rank #863, Medium
交
jiāo
to turn over
HSK 4, v, 6 strokes, radical 亠, rank #863, Medium
交
jiāo
to make friends
HSK 4, v, 6 strokes, radical 亠, rank #863, Medium
交
jiāo
to intersect (lines)
HSK 4, v, 6 strokes, radical 亠, rank #863, Medium
交
jiāo
to connect; to deliver, to exchange; to intersect; to mix
HSK 4, v, 6 strokes, radical 亠, rank #863, Medium
jiāo(jiao1)jiao T1
1to hand over
2to deliver
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March 24, 2026
交jiāo(jiao1)
The character 交 (jiāo) primarily means 'to hand over' or 'to deliver,' and is commonly used in contexts involving exchanging items or information. It also carries the connotation of forming friendships or connections, reflecting the social aspect of interaction. Additionally, it can refer to the intersection of lines, indicating a physical or metaphorical crossing point.
Strokes6Radical亠Frequency#863DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the act of making friends (交朋友) is highly valued, often seen as essential for both personal and professional growth. Networking plays a significant role in many aspects of life, emphasizing the importance of social connections.
Memory tip
Imagine a handshake as a vivid representation of 交 (jiāo), where two hands meet and exchange something valuable, symbolizing friendship and connection. The character itself features the radical '亻' (person) on the left, hinting at social interactions, while the right part '交' resembles two crossing lines, reinforcing the idea of intersection.
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AI study notes for 交
Quick Contrast
交 (jiāo) vs 交换 (jiāo huàn) — use 交 for more general exchanges and social interactions, while 交换 specifically emphasizes the act of swapping items.
Usage Notes
When using 交, be careful with its tone; the first tone is crucial, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, such as 交朋友 (make friends) or 交款 (pay money). Common collocations include 交际 (social interaction) and 交叉 (intersect).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 交 connects well with other verbs related to social interactions, like 认识 (to know) and 交流 (to communicate). Students should focus on its various meanings in different contexts to enhance their vocabulary flexibility and comprehension.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 交 with other similar-sounding words, such as 脚 (jiǎo) meaning 'foot'. A common mistake is saying 交朋友 (jiāo péngyǒu) with the wrong tone, which can lead to misunderstandings about making friends.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 交
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The character 交 (jiāo) primarily means 'to hand over' or 'to deliver,' and is commonly used in contexts involving exchanging items or information. It also carries the connotation of forming friendships or connections, reflecting the social aspect of interaction. Additionally, it can refer to the intersection of lines, indicating a physical or metaphorical crossing point.
When to use 交
When using 交, be careful with its tone; the first tone is crucial, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words. It is often used in both formal and informal contexts, such as 交朋友 (make friends) or 交款 (pay money). Common collocations include 交际 (social interaction) and 交叉 (intersect).
交 or something close to it
交 (jiāo) vs 交换 (jiāo huàn) — use 交 for more general exchanges and social interactions, while 交换 specifically emphasizes the act of swapping items.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 交 with other similar-sounding words, such as 脚 (jiǎo) meaning 'foot'. A common mistake is saying 交朋友 (jiāo péngyǒu) with the wrong tone, which can lead to misunderstandings about making friends.
Write 交
交
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Grammar patterns of 交
交 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 7 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
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Exercise 1 of 1
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Cultural Notes for 交
💡Did you know?
'交' not only means to make friends but also reflects the importance of relationships in Chinese culture, where social connections are highly valued.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, friendships often develop more gradually, while in Chinese culture, the emphasis on networking and forming connections can lead to friendships being established through more formal introductions or social obligations.
Word Family of 交
Compounds40
校jiàoto proofread
效xiàovariant of 傚
较jiàocomparatively
咬yǎoto bite
胶jiāoto glue
狡jiǎocrafty
郊jiāosurname Jiao
跤jiāoto tumble, to fall; to wrestle
绞jiǎointertwined; to twist, to wring; to hang a criminal
饺jiǎodumplings with meat filling
佼jiǎobeautiful, handsome, good-looking
铰jiǎohinge; scissors, shears; to cut
皎jiǎowhite; bright, brilliant; clear
鲛jiāoshark
姣jiāobeautiful, handsome, pretty
蛟jiāoa legendary scaled dragon
鮫jiāoshark
恔jiǎo
挍jiào
洨xiáoa river in Hebei province
珓jiào
窔yào
筊xiáobamboo rope
茭jiāoan edible aquatic grass; Zizania aquatica
詨xiào
効xiào
峧jiāo
晈jiǎo
烄jiǎo
絞jiǎointertwined; to twist, to wring; to hang a criminal
虠jiāo
賋jiǎo
較jiàoto compare; relatively; more
鉸jiǎohinge; scissors, shears; to cut
頝qiāo
餃jiǎostuffed dumplings
駮bófierce animal; piebald horse; to argue; to join, to transfer
骹qiāo
鵁jiāo
齩yǎo
Words containing this character20
交jiāoto hand over
交易jiāoyìbusiness deal
交通jiāotōngtraffic
交流jiāoliúto exchange
交给jiāogěito give交給
成交chéngjiāoto reach a deal
交换jiāohuànto exchange交換
交往jiāowǎngto associate (with)
交谈jiāotánto discuss交談
外交wàijiāodiplomacy
提交tíjiāoto submit (a report etc)
社交shèjiāointeraction
交叉jiāochāto cross
交警jiāojǐngtraffic police
打交道dǎjiāodaoto have dealings
交代jiāodàito hand over
交出jiāochūto hand over
外交部wàijiāobùforeign office
交易所jiāoyìsuǒexchange
性交xìngjiāosexual intercourse
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 交
What does 校 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 交
Some common phrases include '交朋友' (jiāo péngyǒu) meaning 'to make friends' and '交钱' (jiāo qián) meaning 'to pay money.' These phrases highlight the character's use in social interactions and financial transactions.
交 (jiāo) focuses on the act of handing over or making connections, while 交际 (jiāojì) refers specifically to social interactions or communication. Understanding this difference can help learners choose the right term based on context.
交 (jiāo) means to hand over or deliver something. It can also refer to paying money, making friends, or the act of intersecting lines. The versatility of this character allows it to be used in various contexts.
You can use 交 in sentences like '我想交朋友' (Wǒ xiǎng jiāo péngyǒu), which means 'I want to make friends.' Another example is '请把这个交给他' (Qǐng bǎ zhège jiāo gěi tā), meaning 'Please hand this over to him.' This shows its application in both social and transactional contexts.
In a social context, 交 refers to making friends or establishing connections with others.
Yes, 交 can refer to both handing over items and forming friendships.
The correct pronunciation is 'jiāo' with a high-level tone.
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