渺 meaning and stroke order
Vast, boundless
How to write 渺, 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 渺
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (of an expanse of water) vast
- distant and indistinct
- tiny or insignificant
How 渺 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 眇 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 渺
渺 combines water 氵 with 眇 (miǎo), which gives the sound. Picture a vast stretch of water 氵 so wide that anything on it looks tiny and faint to the eye.
渺 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It appears mostly in fixed words like 渺小 (miǎoxiǎo, tiny, insignificant) and 渺茫 (miǎománg, uncertain, remote), often in written or reflective language. Example: 在大自然面前,人显得很渺小。(Zài dà zìrán miànqián, rén xiǎnde hěn miǎoxiǎo.) In the face of nature, people seem very small.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 渺 with 秒 (miǎo, second) and 妙 (miào, wonderful), since they look and sound alike. Remember that 渺 has the water radical 氵 and the eye 目 inside 眇, and it is third tone, not fourth like 妙.
Common words with 渺
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
渺 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 渺
How many strokes are in 渺?
渺 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 渺 mean?
渺 (miǎo) means vast, boundless. A common word with it is 渺小 (miǎoxiǎo), meaning "minute; tiny".
How do you pronounce 渺?
渺 is pronounced miǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 渺?
The radical of 渺 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 渺 under this radical.
Is 渺 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 渺 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 渺小 and 小?
小 (xiǎo) is a neutral word for small size. 渺小 adds a feeling of being insignificant or powerless, usually compared with something huge like the universe or history.
How is 渺茫 used?
渺茫 describes hope or prospects that are faint and unlikely, or scenery that is distant and hazy. A common phrase is 希望渺茫 (xīwàng miǎománg), meaning there is little hope.