Meaning of 靠
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to lean against or on
- to stand by the side of
- to come near to
- to depend on
- to trust
- to fuck (vulgar)
- traditional military costume drama where the performers wear armor (old)
How to use 靠
靠 covers both physical leaning and depending on someone or something, and it often appears in 靠 + noun patterns like 靠窗 (by the window) or 靠自己 (rely on yourself). Example: 别靠在墙上。(Bié kào zài qiáng shang.) Don't lean on the wall.
靠 (kào) has 告 (gào, to tell) on top and 非 (fēi) below, and 非 looks like two backs leaning against each other. Picture telling someone, "Lean on me," as you stand back to back for support.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 靠 with 告 (gào, to tell) because 靠 contains 告 on top, so remember 靠 needs the 非 part underneath. Also keep the fourth tone kào, not kǎo, which sounds like 考 (kǎo, to test).
靠 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
靠 kào · to lean against or on · 15 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 靠.
| 可靠 | kěkào | reliable |
| 依靠 | yīkào | to rely on; to depend on |
| 靠近 | kàojìn | to be close to; to approach; to draw near |
| 靠拢 | kàolǒng | to draw close to |
| 靠边 | kàobiān | to keep to the side; to pull over |
| 靠不住 | kàobuzhù | unreliable |
| 投靠 | tóukào | to rely on help from sb |
| 靠岸 | kào'àn | (of a boat) to reach the shore; to pull toward shore |
| 靠得住 | kàodezhù | reliable; trustworthy |
| 停靠 | tíngkào | to call at; to stop at |
| 靠山 | kàoshān | patron; backer; close to a mountain |
| 无依无靠 | wúyīwúkào | (idiom) having nothing to rely on; on one's own |
Questions about 靠
What does 靠 mean?
靠 (kào) means "to lean against or on; to stand by the side of" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 靠?
靠 is made of 1 character: 靠 (15 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.
Is 靠 an HSK word?
Yes. 靠 is on the HSK 2 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
Why do I hear people say 靠 as an exclamation?
In casual speech, 靠 or 我靠 (wǒ kào) is a slangy curse similar to "damn" or something stronger. It is vulgar, so avoid it in polite or formal settings.
What is the difference between 靠 and 依靠?
Both can mean to depend on, but 依靠 (yīkào) is more formal and only means relying on someone or something. 靠 is everyday and also covers physical meanings like leaning or being near, as in 靠边 (kàobiān), to pull over.