Learn a Chinese Character - 缴

1. Character Basics

Radical: 纟/sī (silk radical)

Stroke Count: 16

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jiǎo (third tone)

3. Meaning

To hand in; to pay; to surrender; to capture; to deliver; to submit

4. Common Words

• 缴纳 (jiǎonà) - to pay, to hand in

  我们需要按时缴纳税款。

  We need to pay taxes on time.

• 缴费 (jiǎofèi) - to pay a fee

  请在月底前完成缴费。

  Please complete the payment before the end of the month.

• 上缴 (shàngjiǎo) - to turn over to higher authorities

  所有收入必须上缴国库。

  All income must be turned over to the state treasury.

• 缴械 (jiǎoxiè) - to disarm

  敌人被迫缴械投降。

  The enemy was forced to disarm and surrender.

• 缴获 (jiǎohuò) - to capture, to seize

  军队缴获了大量武器装备。

  The army captured a large amount of weapons and equipment.

• 缴付 (jiǎofù) - to pay, to remit

  请通过银行缴付这笔款项。

  Please remit this payment through the bank.

5. Grammar & Usage

The character 缴 is primarily used as a verb, indicating actions related to handing over, paying, or surrendering something. It is often used in formal or official contexts.

Common grammatical patterns with 缴 include:

• 缴 + 名词: 缴税 (pay taxes), 缴学费 (pay tuition fees), 缴枪 (surrender weapons)
• 缴给 + 名词: 把钱缴给银行 (hand over the money to the bank)
• 被 + 名词 + 缴 + 名词: 武器被警察缴了 (The weapons were confiscated by the police)
• 缴 + 动词补语: 缴清 (pay off completely), 缴足 (pay in full)

缴 is often used in official documents, financial contexts, and legal situations to indicate the act of paying or surrendering something as required.

6. Cultural Background

The character 缴 reflects several important aspects of Chinese culture and society:

• In traditional Chinese society, 缴 was often used in the context of paying taxes, tributes, or military service to the imperial government.
• Confucian values emphasize social order and responsibility, which is reflected in the concept of 缴纳 (paying what one owes) as a civic duty.
• Modern China has a comprehensive tax and social security system where citizens and businesses are required to 缴纳 (pay) various types of taxes and contributions.
• The character is also used in legal contexts, such as 缴械 (disarming) and 缴获 (seizing property), reflecting the importance of maintaining social order.

Today, 缴 continues to be widely used in both formal and informal contexts related to financial transactions, legal obligations, and official procedures.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 缴 (jiǎo) can be broken down into several parts:

• The left part is 纟 (sī), the silk radical, which historically related to threads or ropes, but in this character, it serves as a phonetic component.
• The right part can be further divided into 敫 (jiǎo), which provides the pronunciation clue.

To remember this character:

1. Associate the meaning of "to hand in" or "to pay" with the action of giving something to someone else.
2. Think of common phrases like 缴纳 (to pay) or 缴费 (to pay a fee) to help reinforce the meaning.
3. Visualize the process of paying a bill or submitting a form when thinking about the character.
4. Notice that the right part 敫 resembles a person with outstretched hands, which can help you remember the meaning of handing over something.