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March 24, 2026
飘(飃)piāo(piao1)
The character 飘 (piāo) means 'to float' or 'to drift.' It describes something that moves lightly and freely in the air, such as leaves fluttering in the wind or clouds drifting across the sky. This term is often used in poetic or descriptive contexts to convey a sense of grace and lightness.
Strokes15Radical风Frequency#5809DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the imagery of things drifting or floating is often associated with a sense of freedom and beauty, as seen in poetry and art. For example, the sight of cherry blossoms (樱花) drifting in the breeze symbolizes the transient nature of beauty and life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a feather (飘) floating gently through the air. The character has the radical for 'food' (食) at the top, suggesting something light and airy, while the bottom part resembles something drifting. Picture a feather from a bird's meal gliding effortlessly, and you’ll remember both its form and meaning.
Meanings of 飘
piāo(piao1)
1to float
2to drift, to float, to flutter
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 飘
飘Simplified
飃Traditional
15Strokes
风Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#5809Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 飘
Podcast: 飘
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AI Study Notes for 飘
Quick Contrast
漂 (piāo) vs 飘 (piāo): use 漂 when referring to the action of floating in water, while 飘 specifically describes movement in the air.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a feather (飘) floating gently through the air. The character has the radical for 'food' (食) at the top, suggesting something light and airy, while the bottom part resembles something drifting. Picture a feather from a bird's meal gliding effortlessly, and you’ll remember both its form and meaning.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone, as 'piāo' (飘) and 'piǎo' (票) can easily be confused. This word is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, often appearing in literature or conversation about nature. Common collocations include 飘起来 (to start to float) and 飘动 (to flutter).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 飘 connects to other verbs describing movement and action, such as 跑 (pǎo - to run) and 飞 (fēi - to fly). Students should focus on the nuances of movement associated with this character, practicing its use in various contexts.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the imagery of things drifting or floating is often associated with a sense of freedom and beauty, as seen in poetry and art. For example, the sight of cherry blossoms (樱花) drifting in the breeze symbolizes the transient nature of beauty and life.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 飘 (piāo) with the similar sounding 票 (piào - ticket). Remember that 飘 is related to movement in the air, while 票 refers to tickets or vouchers. For example, saying '我买了飘' is incorrect; it should be '我买了票'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 飘
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Grammar Patterns of 飘
飘 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 3 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.
Some men are flattered by the attentions of a young woman.
9
她把头发解开，让它随风飘动。
tā bǎ tóu fā jiě kāi， ， ràng tā suí fēng piāo。
She unbound her hair and let it flow loose in the wind.
10
他设法把飘起的衬衫塞到裤子里。
tā shè fǎ bǎ piāo qǐ de chèn shān sāi dào kù zǐ lǐ。
He tried to tuck his flapping shirt inside his trousers.
Cultural Notes for 飘
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the imagery of things drifting or floating is often associated with a sense of freedom and beauty, as seen in poetry and art. For example, the sight of cherry blossoms (樱花) drifting in the breeze symbolizes the transient nature of beauty and life.
Word Family of 飘
Words Containing This Character20
飘piāoto float飃
飘逸graceful飄逸
飘扬piāoyángto wave飄揚
飘飘to float about飄飄
飘飘然elated飄飄然
飘荡to drift飄盪
飘落to float down飄落
轻飘飘light as a feather輕飄飄
飘浮to float飄浮
飘忽fleet飄忽
飘渺as in a mist飄渺
飘然swiftly飄然
飘零(fig.) drifting and homeless飄零
飘散to drift飄散
飘动to float飄動
飘香(of a fragrance) to waft about飄香
飘舞to fly up飄舞
飘移to drift飄移
风雨飘摇(of a situation) unstable風雨飄搖
飘流rafting飄流
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 飘 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 飘
You can say, '树叶在风中飘,' meaning 'The leaves are floating in the wind.'
Yes, it appears in the idiom '飘飘欲仙,' which describes someone who feels ethereal or out of this world.
Synonyms include 漂浮 (piāofú - to float) and 飘荡 (piāodàng - to drift about).
