礁 meaning and stroke order
Jetty, reef
How to write 礁, stroke by stroke
17 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 礁
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- reef
- shoal rock
How 礁 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Rock.
石 gives the meaning and 焦 hints at the sound.
Radical: 石 (stone), shared by 114 characters on this site.
How to remember 礁
礁 is made of 石 (shí, stone) on the left and 焦 (jiāo) on the right, which gives the sound. Picture a stone that sounds like jiāo sitting in the sea: a reef.
礁 rarely appears alone and usually shows up in words like 礁石 (jiāoshí), 珊瑚礁 (shānhújiāo) and 暗礁 (ànjiāo). 暗礁 is also used figuratively for hidden dangers or obstacles. Example: 船撞上了礁石。(Chuán zhuàng shàng le jiāoshí.) The boat hit a reef.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 焦 (jiāo, burnt) or 蕉 (jiāo, as in 香蕉 banana) when they mean reef. Only 礁 has the 石 stone radical, so check for the stone when the meaning is rocks in water.
Common words with 礁
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
礁 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 礁
How many strokes are in 礁?
礁 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 礁 mean?
礁 (jiāo) means jetty, reef. A common word with it is 礁石 (jiāoshí), meaning "reef".
How do you pronounce 礁?
礁 is pronounced jiāo, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 礁?
The radical of 礁 is 石, which carries the idea of "stone". Dictionaries list 礁 under this radical.
Is 礁 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 礁 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 触礁 (chùjiāo) mean?
触礁 means a ship strikes a reef and runs aground. It is also used figuratively when a plan or negotiation hits a snag.
Is 礁 the same as an island?
No. A 礁 is a rock or reef that is low, often partly or fully underwater, while an island is 岛 (dǎo). Some place names use 礁 for very small rocky features in the sea.