剽 meaning and stroke order
To rob, to plunder, to slice off; nimble, quick
How to write 剽, stroke by stroke
13 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 剽
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to rob
- swift
- nimble
- Taiwan pr. [piao4]
How 剽 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Knife.
刂 gives the meaning and 票 hints at the sound.
Radical: 刂 (knife), shared by 71 characters on this site.
How to remember 剽
剽 combines 票 (piào), which gives the sound, with 刂, the knife radical. Picture someone with a quick knife snatching your ticket 票: fast, nimble, and stealing.
Today 剽 mostly appears in fixed words rather than alone. The most common is 剽窃 (piāoqiè), to plagiarize, and you may also see 剽悍 (piāohàn), meaning fierce and agile. Example: 他剽窃了别人的论文。(Tā piāoqiè le biérén de lùnwén.) He plagiarized someone else's paper.
Common mistake: Learners often write 漂 (piāo, to float) or 飘 (piāo, to flutter) instead of 剽 in 剽窃, because they all share the sound and the 票 part. Remember that stealing needs a knife, so 剽窃 takes the 刂 radical.
Common words with 剽
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 剽窃 | piāoqiè | to plunder; to plagiarize |
Questions about 剽
How many strokes are in 剽?
剽 is written with 13 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 剽 mean?
剽 (piāo) means to rob, to plunder, to slice off; nimble, quick. A common word with it is 剽窃 (piāoqiè), meaning "to plunder; to plagiarize".
How do you pronounce 剽?
剽 is pronounced piāo, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 剽?
The radical of 剽 is 刂, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 剽 under this radical.
Why do some people say piào for 剽?
In Taiwan the standard pronunciation is the fourth tone, piào. In mainland Mandarin it is first tone, piāo.
Is 剽窃 only about copying writing?
Mostly yes. In modern use 剽窃 means plagiarism of ideas, text, music, or designs. The older sense of plundering goods is rare now.