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March 24, 2026
郊Jiāo(Jiao1)
The character 郊 (jiāo) primarily refers to the suburbs or outskirts of a city. It can also denote open spaces or wasteland, emphasizing areas outside the urban environment. Commonly used in phrases related to travel or living outside a city center, it evokes imagery of nature and less populated areas.
Strokes8Radical阝Frequency#25849DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 郊 reflects the increasing popularity of suburban living as cities grow. Many people escape to the 郊 for weekend trips to enjoy nature and unwind from urban stress, which is a significant aspect of modern life in China.
Memory Tip
Imagine a city surrounded by a protective wall (the character's outer component) and open fields beyond it, symbolizing the transition from crowded urban life to tranquil suburbs. The pronunciation 'jiāo' sounds like 'jow', which you can remember as the sound of a cow (implying open pastures).
Meanings of 郊
Jiāo(Jiao1)
1suburbs
2outskirts
Exercise 1 of 3
By ear
Play it, then pick what 郊 means.
About 郊
郊Simplified
8Strokes
阝Radical
处所词locative noun (loc.)Part of Speech
#25849Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5
Podcast: 郊
Podcast: 郊
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AI Study Notes for 郊
Quick Contrast
郊 (suburbs) vs 乡 (countryside) — use 郊 for areas near cities, while 乡 refers to more rural, less developed regions.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 郊 with nearby characters that refer to urban areas. It is generally used in formal and informal contexts when discussing locations outside a city. Common collocations include '郊区' (suburban district) and '郊游' (outdoor excursion).
HSK Study Tips
While 郊 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with HSK Level 3 words related to locations and travel. Focus on using it in context with other location-based vocabulary, like 城市 (city) and 乡村 (countryside).
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 郊 with 城市 (city) due to their similar contexts. For instance, saying '我住在郊市' (I live in the suburban city) is incorrect; it should be '我住在郊区' (I live in the suburbs).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 郊
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How Well Do You Know 郊?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 郊 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
郊 = 阝 + 交. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 郊
IDS Structure⿰交阝
郊Full Character
=
交jiao1
left
阝yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 郊?
How to say suburbs in Chinese
“suburbs” in Chinese is郊Jiāo
The character 郊 (jiāo) primarily refers to the suburbs or outskirts of a city. It can also denote open spaces or wasteland, emphasizing areas outside the urban environment. Commonly used in phrases related to travel or living outside a city center, it evokes imagery of nature and less populated areas.
When to use 郊
Be cautious not to confuse 郊 with nearby characters that refer to urban areas. It is generally used in formal and informal contexts when discussing locations outside a city. Common collocations include '郊区' (suburban district) and '郊游' (outdoor excursion).
郊 or something close to it
郊 (suburbs) vs 乡 (countryside) — use 郊 for areas near cities, while 乡 refers to more rural, less developed regions.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 郊 with 城市 (city) due to their similar contexts. For instance, saying '我住在郊市' (I live in the suburban city) is incorrect; it should be '我住在郊区' (I live in the suburbs).
Write 郊
郊
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Practice writing 郊 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 郊
郊 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
他们依然很熟悉伦敦市____的喧闹声。
Their ears were still attuned to the sounds of the London suburb.
Common Confusions with 郊
郊vs交
jiāo
Similar pronunciation but different meaning.
郊vs骄
jiāo
Similar pronunciation but different meaning.
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “suburbs”?
or
Example Sentences for 郊 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他们依然很熟悉伦敦市郊的喧闹声。
tā mén yī rán hěn shú xī lún dūn shì jiāo de xuān nào shēng。
Their ears were still attuned to the sounds of the London suburb.
2
在新建的远郊住宅区之间还有空地可以盖房。
zài xīn jiàn de yuǎn jiāo zhù zhái qū zhī jiān huán yǒu kōng dì kě yǐ gài fáng。
There is room for infill between the new outer suburbs.
3
安娜于1923年出生在曼彻斯特的郊区阿德维克。
ān nà yú1923 1923 nián chū shēng zài màn chè sī tè de jiāo qū ā dé wéi。
Anna was born in 1923 in Ardwick, a suburb of Manchester.
4
她租住在伯明翰某处阴沉沉的郊区.
tā zū zhù zài bó míng hàn mǒu chǔ yīn chén chén de jiāo qū.
She's renting in some grey suburb of Birmingham.
5
我们在郊外租了一所房子.
wǒ mén zài jiāo wài zū le yī suǒ fáng zǐ.
We rented a house in the suburbs.
6
他们快到市郊时，埃拉的情绪明显好转。
tā mén kuài dào shì jiāo shí， ， āi lā de qíng xù míng xiǎn hǎo。
As they approached the outskirts of the city, Ella's mood visibly lightened.
Let's go on a picnic if it doesn't cloud over and rain.
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Word Family of 郊
Words Containing This Character12
郊区jiāoqūoutskirts郊區
郊外jiāowàioutskirts
郊Jiāosuburbs
市郊outer city
城郊suburbs
郊游jiāoyóuto go for an outing郊遊
近郊suburbs
荒郊desolate area outside a town
远郊outer suburbs遠郊
郊野countryside
四郊suburb
南郊区Nanjiao district of Datong city 大同市[Dàtóngshì], Shanxi南郊區
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 郊
What does 郊区 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 郊
Yes, 郊 (jiāo) can also be a surname in China, though it is not among the most common surnames. Surnames in Chinese can have various meanings and are often tied to historical or geographical significance.
Common phrases that include 郊 are '郊游' (jiāo yóu), meaning 'outing to the suburbs,' and '郊区' (jiāo qū), meaning 'suburban area.' These phrases highlight the usage of 郊 in everyday conversation.
郊 (jiāo) refers to the outskirts or suburbs of a city. It can also denote open spaces or wasteland. In some contexts, it may be used as a surname.
You can use 郊 (jiāo) in sentences to refer to areas outside of a city. For example, '我们去郊外烧烤' means 'We are going to the outskirts for a barbecue.' This shows the usage of 郊 to indicate a location away from urban areas.
In everyday conversation, 郊 typically refers to areas outside the city, often where people go for relaxation or recreation.
No, while both refer to areas outside urban centers, 郊 refers specifically to suburbs, whereas 乡村 refers to rural villages.
It is pronounced as 'jiāo', with a high flat tone. Make sure to emphasize the tone to avoid confusion with similar-sounding words.
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