锹 meaning and stroke order
Shovel
How to write 锹, stroke by stroke
14 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 锹
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- shovel
- spade
- variant of 鍬|锹[qiao1]
How 锹 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Metal.
钅 gives the meaning and 秋 hints at the sound.
Radical: 钅 (gold), shared by 223 characters on this site.
How to remember 锹
锹 combines the metal radical 钅 with 秋 (qiū, autumn), which gives the sound. Picture a metal shovel used to dig in the fields at autumn harvest time.
锹 means a shovel or spade, and in everyday speech it usually appears in the word 铁锹 (tiěqiāo). It is also a measure for shovelfuls. Example: 他拿着铁锹挖土。(Tā ná zhe tiěqiāo wā tǔ.) He is digging the soil with a shovel.
Common mistake: Learners often read 锹 as qiū because of its phonetic part 秋, but the correct reading is qiāo. Do not confuse it with 锨 (xiān), another word for shovel, or with 揪 (jiū, to grab), which shares the 秋 part.
Common words with 锹
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 铁锹 | tiěqiāo | spade; shovel |
Questions about 锹
How many strokes are in 锹?
锹 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 锹 mean?
锹 (qiāo) means shovel. A common word with it is 铁锹 (tiěqiāo), meaning "spade; shovel".
How do you pronounce 锹?
锹 is pronounced qiāo, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 锹?
The radical of 锹 is 钅, which carries the idea of "gold". Dictionaries list 锹 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 锹?
The traditional form of 锹 is 鍫 and 鍬. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 锹 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 锹 and 铲?
锹 (qiāo) is usually a larger digging spade with a long handle, as in 铁锹. 铲 (chǎn) is broader and covers shovels, scrapers, and even a cooking spatula, 锅铲 (guōchǎn).
Can 锹 be used as a measure word?
Yes. It can count shovelfuls, as in 一锹土 (yì qiāo tǔ), a shovelful of earth.