剿 meaning and stroke order
To annihilate, to destroy, to exterminate
How to write 剿, 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 剿
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to plagiarize
- variant of 剿[chao1]
- to destroy
- to extirpate
- variant of 剿[jiao3]
How 剿 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Knife.
刂 gives the meaning and 巢 hints at the sound.
Radical: 刂 (knife), shared by 71 characters on this site.
How to remember 剿
剿 combines 巢 (cháo, nest) with 刂, the knife radical. Picture taking a blade to a bandits' nest and wiping it out completely.
剿 (jiǎo) is a formal, often military word meaning to wipe out enemies or bandits by force. It mostly appears in compounds such as 剿灭 (jiǎomiè) and 围剿 (wéijiǎo). Example: 军队剿灭了土匪。(Jūnduì jiǎomièle tǔfěi.) The army wiped out the bandits.
Common mistake: Learners often read 剿 as cháo because the phonetic part is 巢 (cháo), but in its common military sense it is jiǎo, third tone. Also do not confuse it with 缴 (jiǎo, to hand over), as in 缴费 (jiǎofèi, to pay fees).
Common words with 剿
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 剿灭 | jiǎomiè | to eliminate (by armed force) |
Questions about 剿
How many strokes are in 剿?
剿 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 剿 mean?
剿 (jiǎo) means to annihilate, to destroy, to exterminate. A common word with it is 剿灭 (jiǎomiè), meaning "to eliminate (by armed force)".
How do you pronounce 剿?
剿 is pronounced jiǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 剿?
The radical of 剿 is 刂, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 剿 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 剿?
The traditional form of 剿 is 勦. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 剿 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
When is 剿 pronounced chāo?
剿 is read chāo when it means to copy or plagiarize, as in 剿袭 (chāoxí). This sense is rare today, and people usually write 抄 (chāo) instead.
Can I use 剿 in everyday conversation?
Not often. It sounds formal and is mostly found in history, news, and military contexts, such as 剿匪 (jiǎofěi, to suppress bandits). In daily speech, 消灭 (xiāomiè) is a more common way to say destroy or wipe out.