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漂 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
漂piāoto floatHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piāoto driftHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piāoto bleachHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piāoelegantHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piāopolishedHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piāoto drift, to float; to be tossed about; bleachHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piǎoto floatHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piǎoto driftHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piǎoto bleachHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piǎoelegantHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piǎopolishedHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piǎoto drift, to float; to be tossed about; bleachHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piàoto floatHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piàoto driftHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piàoto bleachHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piàoelegantHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piàopolishedHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
漂piàoto drift, to float; to be tossed about; bleachHSK 6, v, 14 strokes, radical 氵, rank #9046, Hard
piāo(piao1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1to float
  2. 2to drift
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

漂piāo(piao1)

The character 漂 (piāo) primarily means 'to float' or 'to drift,' often used in contexts involving water or air movement. It can also convey the idea of elegance or being polished, particularly in describing appearance or behavior. This duality allows for its use in both physical and metaphorical senses.

Strokes14Radical氵Frequency#9046DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of floating (漂) can be associated with tranquility and grace, often found in poetry and art that depict nature. This character may evoke imagery of traditional Chinese paintings featuring serene landscapes with drifting boats.

Memory Tip

Imagine a beautiful, elegant boat (漂) gracefully floating (漂) on a serene lake. The boat is not just floating but is also polished and shining in the sunlight, emphasizing both the physical act of floating and the aesthetic quality of elegance.

Meanings of 漂

piāo(piao1)
primary
1to float
2to drift
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 漂 means.

About 漂

漂Simplified
14Strokes
氵Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#9046Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 漂

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Podcast: 漂

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AI Study Notes for 漂

Quick Contrast

漂 (piāo) vs 飘 (piāo) — use 漂 for floating/drifting with a focus on water or air, while 飘 emphasizes a lighter, more carefree drifting.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 漂 with its similar-sounding counterpart 漂亮 (piàoliang), which means 'pretty' or 'beautiful.' While 漂 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, its more poetic applications might be best suited for literary or artistic discussions. Pay attention to the tone, as mispronunciation could change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 漂 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects well with other HSK words related to movement and appearance, such as 流 (liú, to flow) and 漂亮 (piàoliang, pretty). Focus on using 漂 in sentences that describe physical actions or characteristics to solidify your understanding.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 漂 with its related forms. For example, saying '我漂了' (Wǒ piāole) to mean 'I am elegant' is incorrect; it should be '我很漂亮' (Wǒ hěn piàoliang). Additionally, learners might misuse the tone, pronouncing it as 'piào' instead of 'piāo.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 漂

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Etymology of 漂

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

Phonosemantic compound. 氵 represents the meaning and 票 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

water

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

Origin

漂 = 氵 + 票. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 漂

IDS Structure⿰氵票
漂Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
票piao4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 漂?

How to say to float in Chinese

“to float” in Chinese is漂piāo

The character 漂 (piāo) primarily means 'to float' or 'to drift,' often used in contexts involving water or air movement. It can also convey the idea of elegance or being polished, particularly in describing appearance or behavior. This duality allows for its use in both physical and metaphorical senses.

When to use 漂

Be careful not to confuse 漂 with its similar-sounding counterpart 漂亮 (piàoliang), which means 'pretty' or 'beautiful.' While 漂 can be used in both formal and informal contexts, its more poetic applications might be best suited for literary or artistic discussions. Pay attention to the tone, as mispronunciation could change the meaning.

漂 or something close to it

漂 (piāo) vs 飘 (piāo) — use 漂 for floating/drifting with a focus on water or air, while 飘 emphasizes a lighter, more carefree drifting.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 漂 with its related forms. For example, saying '我漂了' (Wǒ piāole) to mean 'I am elegant' is incorrect; it should be '我很漂亮' (Wǒ hěn piàoliang). Additionally, learners might misuse the tone, pronouncing it as 'piào' instead of 'piāo.'

Write 漂

漂

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

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Grammar Patterns of 漂

漂 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.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

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

____亮的花开了。

The beautiful flowers bloomed.

Example Sentences for 漂 (16)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我觉得她不但长得非常漂亮，而且还有很多优秀品质。

wǒ jué dé tā bù dàn cháng dé fēi cháng piāo liàng， ， ér qiě huán yǒu hěn duō yōu xiù pǐn。

I think she has many good qualities besides being very beautiful.
2
我花大笔钱购置了上班时穿的漂亮新套装。

wǒ huā dà bǐ qián gòu zhì le shàng bān shí chuān de piāo liàng xīn tào zhuāng。

I spent lots of money on smart new outfits for work.
3
这件套头毛衣又舒服又漂亮。

zhè jiàn tào tóu máo yī yòu shū fú yòu piāo liàng。

The jumper strikes the perfect balance between comfort and smartness.
4
这种树很容易辨认，因为它有着非常漂亮的银色树皮。

zhè zhǒng shù hěn róng yì biàn rèn， ， yīn wéi tā yǒu zháo fēi cháng piāo liàng de yín sè shù。

This tree is always recognizable by its extremely beautiful silvery bark.
5
他一脚漂亮的凌空抽射，把球踢进了球门的远角。

tā yī jiǎo piāo liàng de líng kōng chōu shè， ， bǎ qiú tī jìn le qiú mén de yuǎn。

He volleyed the ball spectacularly into the far corner of the net.
6
“可这是一件漂亮的首饰，不是吗？”

“ “ kě zhè shì yī jiàn piāo liàng de shǒu， shì ， bù？”

"It's a nice piece of jewellery though, isn't it?"
7
这辆自行车品质一流，外观漂亮，有一些细节之处与众不同。

zhè liàng zì háng chē pǐn zhì yī liú， ， wài guān piāo， liàng ， yǒu yī xiē xì jié zhī chǔ yǔ zhòng。

The bike has style, it has looks, it has its little idiosyncrasies.
8
这条被子有漂亮的荷叶饰边，而且绗缝活做得也很精致。

zhè tiáo bèi zǐ yǒu piāo liàng de hé yè shì biān， ， ér qiě háng féng huó zuò dé yě hěn jīng。

The quilt has pretty, scalloped edges and intricate quilting.
9
床单有漂亮的方格形、条纹、斜纹和三角形图案。

chuáng dān yǒu piāo liàng de fāng gé xíng、 、 tiáo、 wén 、 xié wén hé sān jiǎo xíng。

The bed linen is patterned in stylish checks, stripes, diagonals and triangles.
10
面对人行道有一些漂亮的维多利亚时代的房子。

miàn duì rén háng dào yǒu yī xiē piāo liàng de wéi duō lì yà shí dài de fáng zǐ。

There are some delightful Victorian houses fronting onto the pavement.
11
树叶在湖面上慢慢地漂着，非常宁静。

Shùyè zài húmiàn shàng mànmàn de piāo zhe, fēicháng níngjìng.

The leaves are floating slowly on the lake, very peacefully.
12
信封没贴好邮票，结果在河里漂走了。

Xìnfēng méi tiē hǎo yóupiào, jiéguǒ zài hé lǐ piāo zǒu le.

The envelope wasn't properly stamped and ended up floating away in the river.
13
小船在湖面上静静地漂着，让人感到很放松。

Xiǎo chuán zài hú miàn shàng jìng jìng de piāo zhe, ràng rén gǎndào hěn fàngsōng.

The small boat was quietly floating on the lake, making people feel relaxed.
14
秋天的枫叶随风漂在水面上，形成了美丽的画面。

Qiūtiān de fēngyè suí fēng piāo zài shuǐ miàn shàng, xíngchéngle měilì de huàmiàn.

The autumn leaves floated on the water surface with the wind, creating a beautiful scene.
15
纸船在河流中漂流，最终消失在视野中。

Zhǐ chuán zài héliú zhōng piāoliú, zuìzhōng xiāoshī zài shìyě zhōng.

The paper boat floated along the river, eventually disappearing from view.
16
他轻轻地把纸片放在水中，看着它漂远。

Tā qīngqīng de bǎ zhǐpiàn fàng zài shuǐ zhōng, kànzhe tā piāo yuǎn.

He gently placed the piece of paper in the water, watching it float away.

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Word Family of 漂

Compounds1
薸
Words Containing This Character18
漂亮piàoliangpretty
漂piāoelegant
漂浮piāofúto float
漂流rafting
漂泊to rove
漂移to drift
漂白to bleach
漂洗to rinse (clothes)
漂白剂bleach漂白劑
打水漂to skip stones (on water)
漂染to bleach and dye
大陆漂移continental drift大陸漂移
漂游drift漂遊
鱼漂fishing float魚漂
浮漂to float
漂洋to cross the ocean
漂砾boulder漂礫
漂流者paddler
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 漂

What does 漂亮 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 漂

You can use 漂 like this: '船在水面上漂' (The boat is floating on the water).

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