Learn a Chinese Character - 教

1. Character Basics

Radical: 攵/wén (wén radical, meaning to tap or strike)

Stroke Count: 11

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jiào (fourth tone) and jiāo (first tone)

3. Meaning

jiào: teach; instruct; educate; religion; teach a lesson; order; make; cause
jiāo: teach; instruct; impart knowledge; show how to do something

4. Common Words

• 教育 (jiàoyù) - education; teach

  教育对孩子的成长很重要。

  Education is very important for children's growth.

• 教师 (jiàoshī) - teacher

  我的妈妈是一名教师。

  My mother is a teacher.

• 教学 (jiàoxué) - teaching and learning; instruction

  他的教学方法很受欢迎。

  His teaching methods are very popular.

• 教 (jiāo) - to teach (verb)

  请你教我中文。

  Please teach me Chinese.

• 宗教 (zōngjiào) - religion

  世界上有很多不同的宗教。

  There are many different religions in the world.

• 请教 (qǐngjiào) - to ask for advice; to consult

  我想向你请教一个问题。

  I want to ask you for advice on a question.

5. Grammar & Usage

The character 教 has two main pronunciations with different grammatical uses:

• Pronounced jiào (fourth tone):
  • As a noun meaning "education" or "religion":

    教育是国家发展的基础。 (Education is the foundation of national development.)

    宗教信仰自由受法律保护。 (Freedom of religious belief is protected by law.)

  • As a verb meaning "to teach" (emphasizing the act of instruction):

    他教我们如何学习。 (He teaches us how to learn.)

    父母应该教育孩子遵守规则。 (Parents should teach children to follow rules.)

  • In the structure "教...做..." meaning "to teach someone to do something":

    老师教我们做实验。 (The teacher teaches us to do experiments.)

• Pronounced jiāo (first tone):
  • As a verb meaning "to teach" (emphasizing imparting specific knowledge or skills):

    我教你游泳。 (I'll teach you to swim.)

    他教我弹钢琴。 (He teaches me to play the piano.)

  • In the structure "教给..." meaning "to teach someone something":

    他把他的经验教给了我。 (He taught me his experience.)

教 is a fundamental character in Chinese, central to discussions about education, learning, and knowledge transmission.

6. Cultural Background

The character 教 holds profound cultural significance in Chinese civilization:

• 教育 (education) has always been highly valued in Chinese culture, with the famous saying "万般皆下品，唯有读书高" (All occupations are inferior; only读书 is exalted).
• Confucius (孔子), the great Chinese philosopher, emphasized the importance of education and is considered the father of Chinese education.
• The traditional Chinese education system placed great emphasis on rote learning and respect for teachers.
• The concept of "teaching by example" (以身作则) is deeply rooted in Chinese educational philosophy.
• There are many idioms related to 教, such as "因材施教" (teach students according to their aptitude) and "有教无类" (education without discrimination).
• Modern Chinese education has evolved significantly but still retains the core values of respect for knowledge and teachers.

The character 教 thus represents not just the act of teaching, but an entire cultural tradition that values learning, wisdom, and the transmission of knowledge across generations.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 教 (jiào/jiāo) can be broken down into two parts:

• The left part is 孝 (xiào), which means "filial piety" or "to respect one's parents".
• The right part is 攵 (wén), the radical meaning "to tap" or "to strike".

To remember this character:

1. Associate the left component 孝 with the idea of passing down values and teachings from one generation to the next.
2. The right component 攵 suggests the active act of teaching or instructing.
3. Practice writing the character several times, focusing on the correct stroke order: start with the 孝 part on the left, then add the 攵 radical on the right.
4. Remember the two different pronunciations and their uses:
   • jiāo (first tone) is used when directly teaching a skill or subject
   • jiào (fourth tone) is used for broader concepts of education or as a noun
5. Connect the character to common words like 教育 (education) and 教师 (teacher) to reinforce your memory.