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僑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
僑qiáoemigrant; to sojournzg, 14 strokes, radical 亻
qiáo(qiao2) T2
  1. 1emigrant; to sojourn
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March 24, 2026

僑qiáo(qiao2)

The character 僑 (qiáo) refers to an emigrant or someone who lives away from their home country, often for work or study. It can also mean to sojourn, indicating a temporary stay in a place that isn’t one's permanent residence. This term is commonly used in contexts involving overseas Chinese communities and their cultural ties.

Strokes14Radical亻
Cultural Note

The term 僑 is often associated with the Chinese diaspora, particularly the historical movement of Chinese people overseas during the 19th and 20th centuries, which has significantly shaped global Chinese communities and cultures.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person (人) who has a suitcase (夭) ready to go on a journey (the combination of these components evokes the idea of traveling and living elsewhere). This visual can help you remember that 僑 relates to living abroad or temporarily staying in another place.

Meanings of 僑

qiáo(qiao2)
1emigrant; to sojourn
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 僑 means.

About 僑

僑Simplified
14Strokes
亻Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 僑

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Podcast: 僑

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AI Study Notes for 僑

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 僑 with similar-sounding words. In spoken language, the tones are crucial; ensure you pronounce qiáo with the rising tone. This word is often used in formal contexts, such as discussions about migration or expatriate communities.

HSK Study Tips

Although 僑 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it relates to HSK Level 4 themes of travel and life experiences abroad. Students should focus on how 僑 can be used in sentences involving personal experiences of living in a foreign country.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 僑, confusing it with words that have similar sounds. For instance, saying 'qiào' instead of 'qiáo' changes the meaning. Additionally, some may use it incorrectly in contexts implying permanent migration instead of temporary sojourns.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 僑

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Jason Explains 僑 to You

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Etymology of 僑

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

Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 乔 represents the sound. Simplified form of 僑.

Memory Hint

person

Semantic (meaning)亻
+
Phonetic (sound)喬
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

僑 = 亻 + 喬. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 僑

IDS Structure⿰亻喬
僑Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
喬qiao2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 僑?

How to say emigrant; to sojourn in Chinese

“emigrant; to sojourn” in Chinese is僑qiáo

The character 僑 (qiáo) refers to an emigrant or someone who lives away from their home country, often for work or study. It can also mean to sojourn, indicating a temporary stay in a place that isn’t one's permanent residence. This term is commonly used in contexts involving overseas Chinese communities and their cultural ties.

When to use 僑

Be careful not to confuse 僑 with similar-sounding words. In spoken language, the tones are crucial; ensure you pronounce qiáo with the rising tone. This word is often used in formal contexts, such as discussions about migration or expatriate communities.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 僑, confusing it with words that have similar sounds. For instance, saying 'qiào' instead of 'qiáo' changes the meaning. Additionally, some may use it incorrectly in contexts implying permanent migration instead of temporary sojourns.

Write 僑

僑

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

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Word Family of 僑

Words Containing This Character10
侨qiáoemigrant僑
华侨huáqiáooverseas Chinese華僑
侨民expatriates僑民
侨居to reside in a foreign country僑居
外侨foreigner外僑
侨胞countryman living abroad僑胞
归侨Chinese person who returns to China after living as an expatriate歸僑
侨务matters relating to the Chinese diaspora (as a concern of the Chinese government)僑務
侨乡hometown of overseas Chinese僑鄉
华侨大学Huaqiao University華僑大學
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 僑

What does 侨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 僑

While 僑 (qiáo) specifically refers to emigrants, often with a focus on temporary residence, 移民 (yímín) refers more generally to immigrants, usually implying permanent relocation.

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