殽 meaning and stroke order
Cooked meat; confused, mixed up
How to write 殽, stroke by stroke
12 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 殽
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- variant of 淆[xiao2]
- variant of 肴[yao2]
How 殽 is built
Components of the character.
Radical: 殳 (tool), shared by 16 characters on this site.
How to remember 殽
On the left is 肴 (yáo), cooked meat dishes, and on the right is 殳 (shū), a hand holding a stick. Picture someone stirring and beating a pile of meat dishes until everything is mixed up, which gives both senses: cooked meat and confusion.
Today 殽 is rare and mostly appears in classical texts or old editions. Modern writing uses 淆 (xiáo) for "mix up" and 肴 (yáo) for "cooked dishes" instead. For example, the modern phrase 混淆是非 (hùnxiáo shìfēi, to confuse right and wrong) would be written 混殽是非 in some older texts.
Common mistake: Learners often write 殽 in modern contexts where 淆 or 肴 is expected, such as 菜肴 (càiyáo, dishes). Also remember that 殽 has two readings: xiáo when it means "mixed up" and yáo when it means "cooked meat."
Questions about 殽
How many strokes are in 殽?
殽 is written with 12 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 殽 mean?
殽 (xiáo) means cooked meat; confused, mixed up.
How do you pronounce 殽?
殽 is pronounced xiáo, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 殽?
The radical of 殽 is 殳, which carries the idea of "tool". Dictionaries list 殽 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 殽?
殽 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 淆 and 肴, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do I know whether to read 殽 as xiáo or yáo?
Look at the meaning in context. If it means confused or mixed, read it xiáo like 淆. If it refers to food or meat dishes, read it yáo like 肴.
Will I see 殽 in everyday modern Chinese?
Very rarely. It is a variant form, so you are most likely to meet it in classical literature, place names in old texts, or reprints of historical works.