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巧妙 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
巧妙qiǎomiàoingeniousHSK 6, a, 12 strokes, rank #9817, Hard
巧妙qiǎomiàocleverHSK 6, a, 12 strokes, rank #9817, Hard
巧妙qiǎomiàoingenuityHSK 6, a, 12 strokes, rank #9817, Hard
巧妙qiǎomiàoartificeHSK 6, a, 12 strokes, rank #9817, Hard
qiǎomiào(qiao3miao4)qiao miao T3
  1. 1ingenious
  2. 2clever
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March 24, 2026

巧妙qiǎomiào(qiao3miao4)

巧妙 (qiǎo miào) refers to something that is cleverly or ingeniously devised, often displaying skillful craftsmanship or creative problem-solving. It is commonly used to describe solutions, designs, or strategies that are not only effective but also demonstrate a high level of intelligence or artistry.

Strokes12Frequency#9817DifficultyHard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the value placed on cleverness and resourcefulness is reflected in various idioms and proverbs. For example, stories of historical figures using 巧妙 strategies to achieve their goals are common in traditional literature.

Memory tip

Imagine a clever fox (巧) weaving a beautiful, intricate tapestry (妙) that captures the essence of its surroundings. The fox's intelligence and skill highlight the meaning of 巧妙, making it easy to remember the character components and their pronunciation.

Meanings of 巧妙

qiǎomiào(qiao3miao4)
1ingenious
2clever
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 巧妙

巧妙Simplified
12Strokes
—Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#9817Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 巧妙

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Podcast: 巧妙

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AI study notes for 巧妙

Quick Contrast

巧妙 (qiǎomiào) vs 精妙 (jīngmiào) — use 巧妙 for cleverness in practical solutions, while 精妙 emphasizes exquisite detail and artistry.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 巧妙 with other similar adjectives like 精巧 (jīngqiǎo), which means exquisite or delicate. While 巧妙 focuses on cleverness, 精巧 emphasizes fine details. Be mindful of using 巧妙 in both formal and informal contexts, as it is versatile but may sound too sophisticated in casual conversations.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 巧妙 connects well with other adjectives describing qualities and characteristics. Students should focus on using it in sentences that highlight creativity or clever solutions to reinforce its meaning within practical contexts.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is using 巧妙 to describe something that is simply good or nice, which does not capture its essence of cleverness. For example, saying '这道菜很巧妙' (This dish is very nice) should be corrected to '这道菜的做法很巧妙' (The method of making this dish is very clever).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 巧妙

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Component characters

巧qiǎoopportunely
HSK 45 strokes工
View full entry
妙miàoclever
HSK 67 strokes女
View full entry

How to say ingenious in Chinese

“ingenious” in Chinese is巧妙qiǎomiào

巧妙 (qiǎo miào) refers to something that is cleverly or ingeniously devised, often displaying skillful craftsmanship or creative problem-solving. It is commonly used to describe solutions, designs, or strategies that are not only effective but also demonstrate a high level of intelligence or artistry.

When to use 巧妙

Learners often confuse 巧妙 with other similar adjectives like 精巧 (jīngqiǎo), which means exquisite or delicate. While 巧妙 focuses on cleverness, 精巧 emphasizes fine details. Be mindful of using 巧妙 in both formal and informal contexts, as it is versatile but may sound too sophisticated in casual conversations.

巧妙 or something close to it

巧妙 (qiǎomiào) vs 精妙 (jīngmiào) — use 巧妙 for cleverness in practical solutions, while 精妙 emphasizes exquisite detail and artistry.

What learners get wrong

A common mistake is using 巧妙 to describe something that is simply good or nice, which does not capture its essence of cleverness. For example, saying '这道菜很巧妙' (This dish is very nice) should be corrected to '这道菜的做法很巧妙' (The method of making this dish is very clever).

Write 巧妙

巧
妙

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

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Grammar patterns of 巧妙

巧妙 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高,not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 4 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

这款汽车____地将经典式样融入到流线型的现代设计中。

The car neatly blends classic styling into a smooth modern package.

Example sentences for 巧妙 (10)

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1
这款汽车巧妙地将经典式样融入到流线型的现代设计中。

zhè kuǎn qìchē qiǎomiào dì jiāng jīngdiǎn shì yàng róngrù dào liú xiàn xíng de xiàndài shèjì zhōng。

The car neatly blends classic styling into a smooth modern package.
2
我甚至开始巧妙地利用他。

wǒ shènzhì kāishǐ qiǎomiào dì lìyòng tā。

I even began to exploit him in subtle ways.
3
他已经准备好尽量巧妙地讨论这个问题。

tā yǐjīng zhǔnbèi hǎo jǐnliàng qiǎomiào dì tǎolùn zhège wèntí。

He's prepared to have a bash at discussing it intelligently.
4
很难找到解决这些问题的巧妙办法。

hěn nán zhǎodào jiějué zhèxiē wèntí de qiǎomiào bànfǎ。

Neat solutions are not easily found to these issues.
5
我们用一张摆放得很巧妙的椅子将它隐藏了起来。

wǒmen yòng yī zhāng bǎifàng de hěn qiǎomiào de yǐzi jiāng tā yǐncáng le qǐlái。

We had kept its presence hidden with a strategically placed chair.
6
在这本新作中,哈里森巧妙地理顺了那些纷繁复杂的争论。

zài zhè běn xīn zuō zhōng, Hā lǐ sēn qiǎomiào dìlǐ shùn le nàxiē fēn fán fùzá de zhēnglùn。

In this new book, Harrison brilliantly disentangles complex debates.
7
除了编辑上的一些巧妙之处,这本选集乏善可陈。

chúle biānjí shàng de yìxiē qiǎomiào zhī chǔ, zhè běn xuǎn jí fá shàn kě chén。

Despite some artful editing, the anthology is a weak one.
8
通过调整照相机的角度,他的脸将被巧妙地遮住。

tōngguò tiáozhěng zhàoxiàngjī de jiǎodù, tā de liǎn jiāng bèi qiǎomiào dì zhē zhù。

His face will be discreetly concealed by camera angles.
9
那些碗与杯子巧妙相配。

nàxiē wǎn yǔ bēizi qiǎomiào Xiāng pèi。

The bowls tone in cleverly with the mugs.
10
通过巧妙运用倒叙手法,伊夫的故事慢慢呈现出来。

tōngguò qiǎomiào yùnyòng dào xù shǒufǎ, yī fū de gùshi mànmàn chéngxiàn chūlái。

Gradually, with an intelligent use of flashbacks, Yves' story unravels.

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Frequently asked questions about 巧妙

Yes, 巧妙 can describe a person's cleverness or ingenuity, but it is more commonly used to describe ideas, solutions, or creative works.

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