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March 24, 2026
浇(澆)jiāo(jiao1)
The verb '浇' (jiāo) means to pour or sprinkle liquid, often in the context of watering plants or irrigating fields. It can also refer to the process of casting molten metal or molding substances. This character is commonly used in agricultural contexts as well as in discussions about metalworking.
Strokes9Radical氵Frequency#7189DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, irrigation is vital for agriculture due to the varying climate conditions across regions. '浇' reflects the traditional importance of water management in farming practices, highlighting the connection between nature and sustenance.
Memory Tip
Imagine a gardener 'pouring' water on plants, which looks like a hand holding a watering can pouring down. The character '浇' has the water radical '氵' on the left, symbolizing its liquid meaning, while the right part resembles a hand in motion, helping you remember 'to pour'.
Meanings of 浇
jiāo(jiao1)
1to pour liquid
2to irrigate (using waterwheel)
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 浇
浇Simplified
澆Traditional
9Strokes
氵Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#7189Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 浇
Podcast: 浇
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AI Study Notes for 浇
Quick Contrast
浇 (jiāo) vs 灌 (guàn) — use 浇 for light pouring or sprinkling, while 灌 emphasizes filling something up completely.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse '浇' with similar-sounding words like '交' (jiāo), which means to hand over or exchange. '浇' is typically used in informal contexts, but it can also appear in more formal agricultural discussions. Common collocations include '浇水' (jiāo shuǐ) meaning 'to water'.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, '浇' connects with other verbs related to actions, particularly those involving movement or application of substances. Focus on its uses in agricultural contexts and practice combining it with water-related nouns.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly pronounce '浇' with a falling tone, resulting in confusion with other words. It's important to remember that '浇' is pronounced with a high level tone: 'jiāo', not 'jiào'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 浇
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Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 尧 represents the sound. Simplified form of 澆.
1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
2The sound half尧 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaywater
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 浇? 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 浇?
Decomposition of 浇
IDS Structure⿰氵尧
浇Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
尧Yao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 浇?
How to say to pour liquid in Chinese
“to pour liquid” in Chinese is浇jiāo
The verb '浇' (jiāo) means to pour or sprinkle liquid, often in the context of watering plants or irrigating fields. It can also refer to the process of casting molten metal or molding substances. This character is commonly used in agricultural contexts as well as in discussions about metalworking.
When to use 浇
Be careful not to confuse '浇' with similar-sounding words like '交' (jiāo), which means to hand over or exchange. '浇' is typically used in informal contexts, but it can also appear in more formal agricultural discussions. Common collocations include '浇水' (jiāo shuǐ) meaning 'to water'.
浇 or something close to it
浇 (jiāo) vs 灌 (guàn) — use 浇 for light pouring or sprinkling, while 灌 emphasizes filling something up completely.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mistakenly pronounce '浇' with a falling tone, resulting in confusion with other words. It's important to remember that '浇' is pronounced with a high level tone: 'jiāo', not 'jiào'.
Write 浇
浇
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Practice writing 浇 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 浇
浇 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 6 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.
