枷 meaning and stroke order
The stocks, a cangue scaffold
How to write 枷, stroke by stroke
9 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 枷
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- cangue (wooden collar like stocks used to restrain and punish criminals in China)
How 枷 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Wood.
木 gives the meaning and 加 hints at the sound.
Radical: 木 (tree), shared by 388 characters on this site.
How to remember 枷
枷 combines 木 (wood) with 加 (jiā, to add), which gives the sound. Picture a heavy wooden board added onto a prisoner's neck.
枷 is rarely used alone today. It mostly appears in 枷锁 (jiāsuǒ), which often means figurative shackles or restraints. Example: 打破传统的枷锁 (dǎpò chuántǒng de jiāsuǒ) break the shackles of tradition.
Common mistake: Learners confuse 枷 with 架 (jià, frame, shelf), which uses the same parts stacked vertically and has a fourth tone. In 枷, 木 sits on the left, and the tone is first tone jiā.
Common words with 枷
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 枷锁 | jiāsuǒ | stocks and chain; in fetters |
枷 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 枷
How many strokes are in 枷?
枷 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 枷 mean?
枷 (jiā) means the stocks, a cangue scaffold. A common word with it is 枷锁 (jiāsuǒ), meaning "stocks and chain; in fetters".
How do you pronounce 枷?
枷 is pronounced jiā, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 枷?
The radical of 枷 is 木, which carries the idea of "tree". Dictionaries list 枷 under this radical.
What exactly was a cangue?
A cangue was a large, flat wooden board locked around a criminal's neck as punishment. It often stopped the wearer from reaching their own mouth, so it was both painful and humiliating.
Is 枷锁 used literally or figuratively in modern Chinese?
In modern Chinese 枷锁 is mostly figurative. It describes things that hold people back, such as 精神枷锁 (jīngshén jiāsuǒ), mental shackles.