Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
軛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
軛èyoke, restraint, collarx, 11 strokes, radical 車
è(e4) T4
  1. 1yoke, restraint, collar
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

軛è(e4)

The character 軛 (è) refers to a yoke, which is a wooden beam used to join two animals, typically oxen, for plowing or pulling loads. It symbolizes restraint or collaring, often used metaphorically to denote oppression or burdens in various contexts.

Strokes11Radical車
Cultural Note

In ancient China, the yoke represented hard labor and the agricultural lifestyle, which played a vital role in society. It is also associated with Confucian ideals of duty and responsibility, reflecting the societal expectations of individuals.

Memory Tip

Imagine two oxen working together under a heavy wooden beam. The shape of the character 軛 resembles the yoke that binds them, reminding you of its meaning and pronunciation (è). Visualize these oxen pulling a heavy load, representing the constraints and struggles associated with the word.

Meanings of 軛

è(e4)
1yoke, restraint, collar
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 軛

軛Simplified
11Strokes
車Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 軛

JasonAmy

Podcast: 軛

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 軛

Usage Notes

This character is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday spoken language. It can be found in literary contexts or historical discussions. Be cautious of the tone; it's pronounced with a falling tone (è), which can be confused with other tones leading to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Since 軛 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, learners at higher levels should focus on understanding its historical and cultural significance. It connects to themes of duty and burden found in other characters like 负 (fù) meaning 'to bear' or 'to carry'.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 軛 with similar-sounding characters. For example, mixing it up with 恶 (è) meaning 'evil'. Ensure you associate the meaning of yoke with the correct pronunciation and context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 軛

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 軛 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 軛

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

cart

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 軛

  1. 1The meaning half車 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half厄 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaycart
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 軛? 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 軛?

Decomposition of 軛

IDS Structure⿰車厄
軛Full Character
=
車che1
left
厄e4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 軛?

How to say yoke, restraint, collar in Chinese

“yoke, restraint, collar” in Chinese is軛è

The character 軛 (è) refers to a yoke, which is a wooden beam used to join two animals, typically oxen, for plowing or pulling loads. It symbolizes restraint or collaring, often used metaphorically to denote oppression or burdens in various contexts.

When to use 軛

This character is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday spoken language. It can be found in literary contexts or historical discussions. Be cautious of the tone; it's pronounced with a falling tone (è), which can be confused with other tones leading to misunderstandings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 軛 with similar-sounding characters. For example, mixing it up with 恶 (è) meaning 'evil'. Ensure you associate the meaning of yoke with the correct pronunciation and context.

Write 軛

軛

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 軛

Words Containing This Character2
轭èto yoke軛
共轭conjugation共軛
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 轭 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 軛

It is pronounced as 'è' with a falling tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 軛?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.