Chinese Character: 焦
1. Character Basics
Radical: 灬/huǒ radical (fire radical)
Stroke Count: 12
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jiāo (first tone)
3. Meaning
burnt, scorched, anxious, worried,焦炭 (coke), 焦点 (focus)
4. Common Words
- 焦急 (jiāo jí) - anxious, worried
- 焦虑 (jiāo lǜ) - anxiety, worried
- 焦点 (jiāo diǎn) - focus, focal point
- 烧焦 (shāo jiāo) - burn, scorch
- 焦黄 (jiāo huáng) -焦黄 (burnt yellow)
- 焦炭 (jiāo tàn) - coke
5. Grammar & Usage
"焦" can be used as an adjective to describe something that is burnt or scorched, or as a noun referring to coke or focus.
When used to describe emotions, it often forms compound words like "焦急" (anxious) and "焦虑" (anxiety).
In scientific contexts, "焦点" (focus) is commonly used in fields such as physics and photography.
It can also be used in the structure "焦+颜色" to describe burnt colors, such as "焦黄" (burnt yellow).
6. Cultural Background
The character "焦" has both literal and metaphorical meanings in Chinese culture.
Historically, it was used to describe the state of food or materials after being burned, which was an important concept in early cooking and metallurgy.
The metaphorical use to describe emotional states (anxiety, worry) reflects the Chinese cultural understanding of how mental states can feel like being "burned" from within.
In traditional Chinese medicine, excessive "heat" in the body is believed to cause symptoms that might be described using words related to "焦".
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 他因为考试而感到焦虑。
Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi kǎoshì ér gǎndào jiāolǜ.
Translation: He feels anxious because of the exam.
8. Memory Tips
The character "焦" consists of two parts: "隹" (zhuī, meaning bird) on top and "灬" (fire radical) on the bottom.
The "灬" radical clearly indicates that this character is related to fire or heat.
To remember this character, think of a bird ("隹") over fire ("灬") - this image can help you remember both the literal meaning (burnt) and the metaphorical meaning (anxious, as if being burned with worry).