侥 meaning and stroke order
To be lucky; by chance, by luck
How to write 侥, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 侥
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- by mere luck
- used in 僬僥|僬侥[jiao1 yao2]
How 侥 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Person.
亻 gives the meaning and 尧 hints at the sound.
Radical: 亻 (man), shared by 277 characters on this site.
How to remember 侥
侥 is a person 亻 next to 尧 (yáo), which gives the sound. Picture a person who gets through a tough spot by pure luck, not by skill.
侥 almost always appears in the word 侥幸 (jiǎoxìng), meaning luckily or by a fluke, often with a hint that the success was not deserved. Example: 我侥幸通过了考试。(Wǒ jiǎoxìng tōngguò le kǎoshì.) I passed the exam by sheer luck.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 侥 with 浇 (jiāo, to pour water) and 绕 (rào, to go around), which share the same 尧 part. Only 侥 has the person radical 亻, and its tone is third tone jiǎo, not first tone.
Common words with 侥
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 侥幸 | jiǎoxìng | luckily; by a fluke |
侥 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 侥
How many strokes are in 侥?
侥 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 侥 mean?
侥 (jiǎo) means to be lucky; by chance, by luck. A common word with it is 侥幸 (jiǎoxìng), meaning "luckily; by a fluke".
How do you pronounce 侥?
侥 is pronounced jiǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 侥?
The radical of 侥 is 亻, which carries the idea of "man". Dictionaries list 侥 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 侥?
The traditional form of 侥 is 僥. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 侥 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 侥幸心理 mean?
侥幸心理 (jiǎoxìng xīnlǐ) describes the mindset of hoping to get away with something risky, like thinking you will not get caught. It is usually used as a criticism.
Is 侥 ever pronounced yáo?
Yes, but only in the rare word 僬侥 (jiāoyáo), an old name for a legendary race of small people. In everyday Chinese you will read it as jiǎo.