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棹 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
棹zhuōoar; boatg, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhuōoar (archaic)unknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhuōscullunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhuōpaddleunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhuōto rowunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhuōa boatunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhàooar; boatg, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhàooar (archaic)unknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhàoscullunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhàopaddleunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhàoto rowunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
棹zhàoa boatunknown, 12 strokes, radical 木
zhào(zhao4)
primary
 T4
  1. 1oar; boat
  2. 2oar (archaic)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

棹(櫂)zhào(zhao4)

The character 棹 (zhào) primarily refers to an oar or paddle used for rowing a boat. It can also denote the act of rowing itself and has historical significance as an archaic term. While not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in literary or poetic contexts related to watercraft and navigation.

Strokes12Radical木
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, boats and oars have historical significance for trade and transportation on rivers and canals, which were vital for commerce and communication.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sturdy oar (棹) slicing through water, with the radical 木 (wood) representing the material of the oar. The pronunciation 'zhào' sounds like 'row' in English, helping you remember its association with rowing and boats.

Meanings of 棹

zhào(zhao4)
primary
1oar; boat
2oar (archaic)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 棹

棹Simplified
櫂Traditional
12Strokes
木Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 棹

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Podcast: 棹

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AI Study Notes for 棹

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 棹 with 桌 (table) due to the similar components. It's important to note that 棹 is more formal and is rarely used in casual speech. Common collocations include expressions like '划棹' (huá zhào) meaning 'to row with an oar'.

HSK Study Tips

Though 棹 is not in HSK vocabulary lists, it connects with other words related to water and transportation. Focus on understanding context and usage in literature to expand your vocabulary in relevant themes.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 棹 with 桌, mistakenly using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我需要一个棹来吃饭' (I need an oar to eat) instead of '我需要一个桌来吃饭' (I need a table to eat).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 棹

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Etymology of 棹

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

wood

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)卓
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 棹

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half卓 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywood
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 棹? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 棹?

Decomposition of 棹

IDS Structure⿰木卓
棹Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
卓Zhuo2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 棹?

How to say oar; boat in Chinese

“oar; boat” in Chinese is棹zhuō

The character 棹 (zhào) primarily refers to an oar or paddle used for rowing a boat. It can also denote the act of rowing itself and has historical significance as an archaic term. While not commonly used in everyday conversation, it may appear in literary or poetic contexts related to watercraft and navigation.

When to use 棹

Learners often confuse 棹 with 桌 (table) due to the similar components. It's important to note that 棹 is more formal and is rarely used in casual speech. Common collocations include expressions like '划棹' (huá zhào) meaning 'to row with an oar'.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 棹 with 桌, mistakenly using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我需要一个棹来吃饭' (I need an oar to eat) instead of '我需要一个桌来吃饭' (I need a table to eat).

Write 棹

棹

Practice writing 棹 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 棹

Words Containing This Character1
棹zhàoscull櫂
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 棹 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 棹

No, 棹 is considered archaic and is rarely used in everyday conversations.

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