Skip to content
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
捎 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
shāoto bring sth to sbHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #9489, Hard
shāoto deliverHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #9489, Hard
shāoto carry, to take; to selectHSK 7, v, 10 strokes, radical 扌, rank #9489, Hard
shāo(shao1) T1
  1. 1to bring sth to sb
  2. 2to deliver
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
shāo(shao1)

The character 捎 (shāo) means to bring or deliver something to someone. It is commonly used in contexts where one person takes an item to another person, often implying a sense of care or additional effort in the act of delivery.

Strokes10RadicalFrequency#9489DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of delivering items, especially gifts or personal belongings, is often seen as a gesture of thoughtfulness, reinforcing social bonds and relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person 'shaoling' (shāo) a package while 'showing' their strength. The character 捎 has the radical for hand (扌) on the left, indicating action, and the phonetic component 'shāo' on the right, linking the pronunciation to the act of carrying or delivering.

Meanings of 捎

shāo(shao1)
1to bring sth to sb
2to deliver
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 捎

Simplified
10Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#9489Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedBCTCEFRC2

Podcast: 捎

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 捎

Quick Contrast

捎 (shāo) vs 带 (dài) — use 捎 when emphasizing the act of delivering something with care, while 带 is more general for carrying or bringing.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person 'shaoling' (shāo) a package while 'showing' their strength. The character 捎 has the radical for hand (扌) on the left, indicating action, and the phonetic component 'shāo' on the right, linking the pronunciation to the act of carrying or delivering.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 捎 with similar verbs like 带 (dài), which also means to bring but is less specific about delivery. Use 捎 in informal contexts, particularly when referring to taking something to someone rather than just carrying it.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 捎 is useful for discussing daily life activities and logistics. Students should focus on its usage in sentences involving delivery, as well as its collocations with other verbs and nouns related to carrying or transporting items.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of delivering items, especially gifts or personal belongings, is often seen as a gesture of thoughtfulness, reinforcing social bonds and relationships.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 捎 when they mean to say 'to take' in a general sense. For example, saying '我捎我的书' (wǒ shāo wǒ de shū) instead of '我带我的书' (wǒ dài wǒ de shū) is incorrect; use 带 instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 捎

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 捎

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 肖 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 捎?

Decomposition of 捎

IDS Structure⿰扌肖
Full Character
=
shou3
left
Xiao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 捎?

Write 捎

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 捎

捎 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.

Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

请费心给他____个口信.

May I trouble you to give him a message?

Example Sentences for 捎 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
请费心给他捎个口信.

qǐng fèi xīn gěi tā shāo gè kǒu xìn.

May I trouble you to give him a message?
Exercise 1 of 1

Reorder the Sentence

May I trouble you to give him a message?

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Cultural Notes for 捎

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the act of delivering items, especially gifts or personal belongings, is often seen as a gesture of thoughtfulness, reinforcing social bonds and relationships.

Word Family of 捎

Words Containing This Character1
shāoto deliver
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 捎 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 捎

Yes, 捎 can refer to bringing various items, but it's often used for smaller, personal items rather than large deliveries.