较 meaning and stroke order
(bound form) to compare; (literary) to dispute; compared to
How to write 较, stroke by stroke
10 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 较
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) to compare
- (literary) to dispute
- compared to
- (before an adjective) relatively; comparatively; rather
- also pr. [jiao3]
How 较 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Cart.
车 gives the meaning and 交 hints at the sound.
Radical: 车 (cart), shared by 50 characters on this site.
How to remember 较
较 is pictophonetic: 车 (chē, cart) gives the meaning area and 交 (jiāo) gives the sound. Picture two carts meeting side by side so you can compare which one is bigger.
较 most often appears in 比较 (bǐjiào, to compare; relatively) or alone before an adjective in formal writing to mean "relatively." It also works like 比 in written comparisons. Example: 今天较冷。(Jīntiān jiào lěng.) It is rather cold today.
Common mistake: Learners often write 交 alone or swap in 校 (xiào, school), which has the same right side but 木 on the left instead of 车. Also remember the tone is fourth, jiào, not the first tone of 交 (jiāo).
Common words with 较
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
较 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 较
How many strokes are in 较?
较 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 较 mean?
较 (jiào) means (bound form) to compare; (literary) to dispute; compared to. A common word with it is 比较 (bǐjiào), meaning "to compare; to contrast".
How do you pronounce 较?
较 is pronounced jiào, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 较?
The radical of 较 is 车, which carries the idea of "cart". Dictionaries list 较 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 较?
The traditional form of 较 is 較. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 较 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 较 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 较 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
What is the difference between 较 and 比较?
Both can mean "relatively" before an adjective, but 较 alone sounds more formal and written. In everyday speech people usually say 比较, as in 比较好 (bǐjiào hǎo, fairly good).
Does 计较 mean to calculate and compare?
Not usually. 计较 (jìjiào) means to fuss over small things or to haggle, often in the negative, as in 别计较 (bié jìjiào, don't make a fuss about it).