表 meaning and stroke order
Exterior surface; family relationship via females; to show (one's opinion)
How to write 表, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 表
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- exterior surface
- family relationship via females
- to show (one's opinion)
- a model
- a table (listing information)
- a form
How 表 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Fur 毛 clothing 衣; a shawl or wrap.
Radical: 衣 (cloth), shared by 33 characters on this site.
How to remember 表
表 is built from fur 毛 on top of clothing 衣. A fur wrap is worn on the outside, so 表 means the outside or surface, and what is on the outside is what you show.
表 appears in many verbs about showing or expressing, such as 表示 (biǎoshì), 表达 (biǎodá) and 表演 (biǎoyǎn). On its own it can also mean a watch or a table or form you fill in. Example: 他用手表看时间。(Tā yòng shǒubiǎo kàn shíjiān.) He checks the time on his wristwatch.
Common mistake: Learners often write the top as a full 毛 sitting above a full 衣, but in 表 the two parts merge. The top strokes blend into the bottom, and the lower part has no separate 亠 lid on top. Also do not confuse 表达 (express an idea) with 表现 (show behavior or performance): you 表达 your feelings, but your work 表现 is good or bad.
Common words with 表
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 表示 | biǎoshì | (of sb) to express; to state; to show; (of sth) to indicate; to signify; to show | HSK 2 |
| 手表 | shǒubiǎo | wristwatch | HSK 2 |
| 代表 | dàibiǎo | representative; delegate | HSK 3 |
| 表演 | biǎoyǎn | play; show | HSK 3 |
| 表现 | biǎoxiàn | to show; to show off | HSK 3 |
| 表达 | biǎodá | to express; to convey | HSK 3 |
| 表明 | biǎomíng | to make clear; to make known | HSK 3 |
| 发表 | fābiǎo | to issue; to publish | HSK 3 |
| 表面 | biǎomiàn | surface; face | HSK 3 |
| 表格 | biǎogé | form; table | HSK 3 |
| 代表团 | dàibiǎotuán | delegation | HSK 3 |
| 表情 | biǎoqíng | (facial) expression; to express one's feelings | HSK 4 |
| 表扬 | biǎoyáng | to praise; to commend | HSK 4 |
| 表面上 | biǎomiàn shang | outwardly; superficially; on the face of it | HSK 6 |
表 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 表
Learning 表 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 表
How many strokes are in 表?
表 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 表 mean?
表 (biǎo) means exterior surface; family relationship via females; to show (one's opinion). A common word with it is 表示 (biǎoshì), meaning "(of sb) to express; to state; to show; (of sth) to indicate; to signify; to show".
How do you pronounce 表?
表 is pronounced biǎo, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 表?
The radical of 表 is 衣, which carries the idea of "cloth". Dictionaries list 表 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 表?
The traditional form of 表 is 錶. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 表 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 表 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 表 is part of the HSK 2 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
What does 表 mean in family words like 表哥?
表 marks cousins related through a female line or through a different surname, such as a mother's siblings' children. So 表哥 (biǎogē) is an older male cousin of this type, while 堂哥 (tánggē) is a cousin on the father's brother's side.
Is 表 used for forms and charts too?
Yes. 表 can mean a table or form, as in 表格 (biǎogé) form, 时间表 (shíjiānbiǎo) timetable, and 填表 (tián biǎo) to fill in a form.