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March 24, 2026
翘(翹)qiào(qiao4)
The character 翘 (qiáo) primarily means 'to raise' or 'to tilt'. It is commonly used to describe something that is elevated or sticking up, such as a roof or an eyebrow. In broader contexts, it can also refer to being outstanding or exceptional, especially in performance or quality.
Strokes12Radical羽Frequency#3888DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '翘' often appears in discussions about excellence and achievement, such as in the phrase '翘楚' (qiáochǔ), meaning an outstanding person or leader, reflecting the value placed on exceptionalism in society.
Memory Tip
Imagine a bird (represented by the radical '羽') tilting its head up (the character's shape resembles a bird looking upwards). The sound 'qiáo' can be remembered as a 'cute bird' raising its wings to show off, emphasizing its outstanding features.
Meanings of 翘
qiào(qiao4)
primary
1outstanding
2to raise
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 翘
翘Simplified
翹Traditional
12Strokes
羽Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3888Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 翘
Podcast: 翘
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AI Study Notes for 翘
Quick Contrast
翘 (qiáo) vs 抬 (tái): Use 翘 when emphasizing something that is tilted or raised in a specific direction, while 抬 is more general for lifting or raising something upwards.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a bird (represented by the radical '羽') tilting its head up (the character's shape resembles a bird looking upwards). The sound 'qiáo' can be remembered as a 'cute bird' raising its wings to show off, emphasizing its outstanding features.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 翘 with similar verbs like 提 (tí) which also means to lift. This word is more informal and is frequently used in everyday contexts. Pay attention to tone, as mispronouncing it could change meaning; remember it is pronounced with a rising tone.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 6 word, 翘 connects with other advanced vocabulary related to movement and elevation, such as 提升 (tíshēng, to elevate). Focus on using it in descriptive contexts to enhance your expressive language skills.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of '翘' often appears in discussions about excellence and achievement, such as in the phrase '翘楚' (qiáochǔ), meaning an outstanding person or leader, reflecting the value placed on exceptionalism in society.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 翘 with the character 俏 (qiào), which has a different meaning related to being pretty or clever. For example, saying '他很翘' (tā hěn qiáo) incorrectly implies he is pretty instead of outstanding or elevated.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 翘
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Grammar Patterns of 翘
翘 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
我们靠近时,我看见汽车行李箱的盖子____了起来.
As we drew near, I saw that the boot lid was up.
Example Sentences for 翘 (10)
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1
我们靠近时,我看见汽车行李箱的盖子翘了起来.
wǒ mén kào jìn shí, , wǒ kàn jiàn qì chē háng lǐ xiāng de gài zǐ qiáo le qǐ.
tā jiāo ào dé bù dé le, , wěi bā qiáo dào tiān shàng qù.
He is very cocky, his tail sticking high up in the air.
9
他身体健壮,长相难看, 粗厚的嘴唇向外翘着.
tā shēn tǐ jiàn zhuàng, , cháng xiāng nán, kàn , cū hòu de zuǐ chún xiàng wài.
He was a strong, rather foul - looking man , with a coarse protruding mouth.
10
他爸爸很可能会把那一头直翘翘的黑发往后一甩.
tā bà bà hěn kě néng huì bǎ nà yī tóu zhí qiáo qiáo de hēi fā wǎng hòu yī shuǎi.
His father would throw back his straight black hair.
Cultural Notes for 翘
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, the concept of '翘' often appears in discussions about excellence and achievement, such as in the phrase '翘楚' (qiáochǔ), meaning an outstanding person or leader, reflecting the value placed on exceptionalism in society.
Word Family of 翘
Words Containing This Character15
翘qiàoto stick up翹
翘首to raise one's head and look around (esp. at the state of the nation)翹首
连翘Forsythia連翹
翘首以待to anxiously await翹首以待
翘翘板see-saw翹翹板
翘尾巴to be cocky翹尾巴
翘辫子(coll.) to die翹辮子
翘板a see-saw翹板
翘舌音retroflex sound (e.g. in Mandarin zh, ch, sh, r)翹舌音
翘盼to long for翹盼
翘望to long for翹望
林家翘Lin Chia-Chiao (1916-2013), Chinese-American physicist, astronomer and applied mathematician林家翹
翘足lit. on tiptoes翹足
翘足而待to expect in a short time (idiom)翹足而待
翘企to long for翹企
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 翘 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 翘
Common phrases include '翘起' (qiáoqǐ, to tilt up) and '翘楚' (qiáochǔ, outstanding person).
翘 is primarily used in informal contexts; for formal writing, other terms like 提升 may be more appropriate.
No, 翘 is primarily a verb; however, it can describe the state of being raised or elevated in certain contexts.
