夭 meaning and stroke order
Young, energetic; to die young
How to write 夭, stroke by stroke
4 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 夭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to die prematurely (also pr. [yao3])
- (literary) (of vegetation) luxuriant
- (bound form) to die prematurely (also pr. [yao3]) (variant of 夭[yao1])
How 夭 is built
Pictographic character. A person with head tilted - leaning forward, running, energetic.
Radical: 大 (big), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 夭
夭 (yāo) is 大 (dà), a person standing with arms spread, plus a slanted stroke 丿 on top like a head tilted forward. Picture a young, energetic person leaning in to run, full of life.
Today 夭 mostly appears in set words. 夭折 (yāozhé) means to die young, and it is also used for plans or projects that end too early. Example: 这个计划中途夭折了。(Zhège jìhuà zhōngtú yāozhé le.) This plan was cut short halfway.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 夭 with 天 (tiān, sky). 天 has a flat horizontal stroke on top, while 夭 starts with a slanted 丿. Also do not mix it up with 妖 (yāo, demon), which adds the 女 radical.
Common words with 夭
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 逃之夭夭 | táozhīyāoyāo | to escape without trace (idiom); to make one's getaway (from the scene of a crime); to sho | |
| 夭折 | yāozhé | to die young or prematurely; to come to a premature end |
夭 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 夭
Learning 夭 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 夭
How many strokes are in 夭?
夭 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 夭 mean?
夭 (yāo) means young, energetic; to die young. A common word with it is 逃之夭夭 (táozhīyāoyāo), meaning "to escape without trace (idiom); to make one's getaway (from the scene of a crime); to sho".
How do you pronounce 夭?
夭 is pronounced yāo, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 夭?
The radical of 夭 is 大, which carries the idea of "big". Dictionaries list 夭 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 夭?
The traditional form of 夭 is 殀. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 夭 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 逃之夭夭 really mean, and is it serious or playful?
逃之夭夭 (táozhīyāoyāo) means to run away and vanish without a trace. It often has a slightly humorous or mocking tone, as when someone slips away to avoid trouble. It can also describe a criminal fleeing the scene.
Why does 夭 mean both 'energetic' and 'to die young'?
The dictionary lists both senses. The shape suggests a lively young person, and its literary use describes lush, thriving plants. The 'die young' sense is the one you will meet most in modern words like 夭折.