绞 meaning and stroke order
To twist (strands into a thread); to entangle; to wring
How to write 绞, 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 绞
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to twist (strands into a thread)
- to entangle
- to wring
- to hang (by the neck)
- to turn
- to wind
How 绞 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
纟 gives the meaning and 交 hints at the sound.
Radical: 纟 (silk), shared by 143 characters on this site.
How to remember 绞
绞 combines 纟 (silk thread) with 交 (jiāo, to cross), which also gives the sound. Picture threads crossing over each other as you twist them into a rope.
绞 describes twisting or wringing something, like wringing out a wet towel, and it also appears in words about hanging, such as 绞刑 (jiǎoxíng). The most common everyday phrase is 绞尽脑汁 (jiǎojìnnǎozhī), meaning to rack one's brains. Example: 他绞尽脑汁也想不出答案。(Tā jiǎojìnnǎozhī yě xiǎng bù chū dá'àn.) He racked his brains but could not think of the answer.
Common mistake: Learners often read 绞 with the first tone like its phonetic part 交 (jiāo), but 绞 is third tone, jiǎo. It is also easy to confuse with 校 (xiào), which has 木 on the left instead of 纟.
Common words with 绞
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 绞死 | jiǎosǐ | to hang (i.e. execute by hanging); to strangle | |
| 绞刑 | jiǎoxíng | to execute by hanging | |
| 绞尽脑汁 | jiǎojìnnǎozhī | to rack one's brains | |
| 绞刑架 | jiǎoxíngjià | gibbet; hanging post |
绞 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 绞
How many strokes are in 绞?
绞 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 绞 mean?
绞 (jiǎo) means to twist (strands into a thread); to entangle; to wring. A common word with it is 绞死 (jiǎosǐ), meaning "to hang (i.e. execute by hanging); to strangle".
How do you pronounce 绞?
绞 is pronounced jiǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 绞?
The radical of 绞 is 纟, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 绞 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 绞?
The traditional form of 绞 is 絞. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 绞 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 绞 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 绞 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say to wring out a towel with 绞?
You can say 把毛巾绞干 (bǎ máojīn jiǎo gān), meaning to wring the towel dry. Many speakers also use 拧 (nǐng) for this action.
What does 绞痛 mean?
绞痛 (jiǎotòng) means a sharp, twisting pain, often used for cramps, as in 肚子绞痛 (dùzi jiǎotòng), a gripping stomach pain. The twisting sense of 绞 describes how the pain feels.