Learn a Chinese Character - 轿

1. Character Basics

Radical: 车/chē (vehicle radical)

Stroke Count: 10

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jiào (fourth tone)

3. Meaning

Sedan chair; palanquin; litter; (modern meaning) car, automobile (in some contexts like 轿车)

4. Common Words

• 轿子 (jiàozi) - sedan chair, palanquin

  古代的达官贵人常坐轿子出行。

  In ancient times, high-ranking officials often traveled by sedan chair.

• 花轿 (huājiào) - bridal sedan chair

  在中国传统婚礼中，新娘会坐花轿来到新郎家。

  In traditional Chinese weddings, the bride arrives at the groom's house in a bridal sedan chair.

• 轿车 (jiàochē) - car, sedan (modern meaning)

  现在越来越多的家庭拥有了自己的轿车。

  Now more and more families have their own cars.

• 抬轿 (táijiào) - to carry a sedan chair, to curry favor with someone

  他靠拍马屁抬轿获得了职位。

  He got the position by currying favor.

• 轿夫 (jiàofū) - sedan chair carrier

  四个轿夫抬着轿子走在山路上。

  Four sedan chair carriers walked on the mountain path carrying the sedan chair.

• 八抬大轿 (bātáidàjiào) - sedan chair carried by eight people (a mark of highest honor)

  古代只有皇帝和高级官员才能乘坐八抬大轿。

  In ancient times, only emperors and high-ranking officials could ride in an eight-person sedan chair.

5. Grammar & Usage

The character 轿 is primarily used as a noun with different applications in classical and modern Chinese:

• In classical Chinese:

  Used to refer to traditional sedan chairs carried by people, often appearing in historical texts and literature.

  Example: 乘轿而行 (chéngjiào érxíng) - to travel by sedan chair

• In modern Chinese:

  Primarily used in compounds related to traditional transportation:

  花轿 (huājiào) - bridal sedan chair

  轿夫 (jiàofū) - sedan chair carrier

  Also used in the compound 轿车 (jiàochē) to mean "car" or "sedan" in modern contexts.

• In idiomatic expressions:

  抬轿 (táijiào) - to curry favor with someone (derogatory)

  八抬大轿 (bātáidàjiào) - a mark of highest honor or importance

While 轿 itself is less common in everyday modern Chinese, its compounds remain important, especially in cultural contexts and when referring to traditional Chinese transportation.

6. Cultural Background

The character 轿 has deep cultural significance in Chinese history:

• Sedan chairs (轿子) were an important form of transportation in ancient China, especially for officials, nobility, and wealthy individuals.
• The use of sedan chairs was highly regulated in imperial China, with strict rules about the number of bearers and decorations based on one's social status.
• Bridal sedan chairs (花轿) are an essential part of traditional Chinese weddings, symbolizing the transition of the bride from her family to her husband's family.
• There are many customs associated with bridal sedan chairs, such as the bride crying before getting into the sedan chair to show respect for her parents.
• Today, sedan chairs are still used in some traditional ceremonies and cultural performances, especially in tourist areas to showcase traditional Chinese culture.
• The evolution from 轿 (sedan chair) to 轿车 (car) reflects the modernization of transportation in China.

The character 轿 thus represents not just a form of transportation, but also social hierarchy, traditional customs, and cultural continuity in Chinese society.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 轿 (jiào) can be broken down into two parts:

• The left part is 车 (chē), the vehicle radical, which indicates that this character is related to transportation.
• The right part is 乔 (qiáo), which provides the pronunciation clue.

To remember this character:

1. Associate the 车 (vehicle) radical with the idea of transportation.
2. Think of the historical image of a sedan chair (轿子) - a covered vehicle carried by people, which helps connect the character to its traditional meaning.
3. Practice writing the character several times, focusing on the correct stroke order: first the 车 radical on the left, then the 乔 part on the right.
4. Connect the character to both its traditional meaning (sedan chair) and its modern usage in 轿车 (car) to expand your vocabulary.
5. Remember that the pronunciation jiào is similar to the right component 乔 (qiáo), with a tone difference.