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摇 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
摇yáosurname YaoHSK 5, v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #3155, Medium
摇yáoto shakeHSK 5, v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #3155, Medium
摇yáoto rockHSK 5, v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #3155, Medium
摇yáoto rowHSK 5, v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #3155, Medium
摇yáoto rock, to shake; to swing, to waveHSK 5, v, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #3155, Medium
摇yáoto crankHSK 5, unknown, 13 strokes, radical 扌, rank #3155, Medium
yáo(Yao2) T2
  1. 1to shake
  2. 2to rock
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
摇(搖)yáo(Yao2)

The character 摇 (yáo) primarily means 'to shake' or 'to rock.' It is commonly used in contexts such as dancing, shaking objects, or even rowing a boat. The nuance of this verb can imply a gentle movement or a more vigorous shaking, depending on context.

Strokes13Radical扌Frequency#3155DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

摇 is often associated with traditional Chinese music and dance, where performers may sway or shake their bodies to the rhythm, reflecting a cultural appreciation for movement in art and expression.

Memory Tip

Imagine a boat rocking gently on the waves. The '摇' character looks like a person (the left side) holding the oars (the right side) and shaking them side to side to row the boat. This visual helps connect the character to its meaning of 'to rock' or 'to row.'

Meanings of 摇

yáo(Yao2)
1to shake
2to rock
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 摇

摇Simplified
搖Traditional
13Strokes
扌Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3155Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 摇

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Podcast: 摇

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AI Study Notes for 摇

Quick Contrast

摇 (yáo) vs 摇晃 (yáohuàng): use 摇 for a general sense of shaking, while 摇晃 emphasizes a swaying, unsteady motion.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a boat rocking gently on the waves. The '摇' character looks like a person (the left side) holding the oars (the right side) and shaking them side to side to row the boat. This visual helps connect the character to its meaning of 'to rock' or 'to row.'

Usage Notes

Be cautious with tone; '摇' is pronounced with the second tone, which can be confused with '要' (yào, 'to want') in rapid speech. It is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, often seen in phrases like 摇晃 (yáo huàng, 'to sway') or 摇头 (yáo tóu, 'to shake one's head').

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 5 word, 摇 connects to other verbs that describe movement, such as 跳 (tiào, 'to jump') and 走 (zǒu, 'to walk'). Students should focus on using it in compound phrases and understanding its various applications in context.

Cultural Note

摇 is often associated with traditional Chinese music and dance, where performers may sway or shake their bodies to the rhythm, reflecting a cultural appreciation for movement in art and expression.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 摇 with 摇头 (yáo tóu) and think it only refers to the head movement, but it applies to various contexts. A common error is saying '我摇了我的头' (Wǒ yáo le wǒ de tóu) instead of '我摇头' (Wǒ yáo tóu) for 'I shake my head.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 摇

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Etymology of 摇

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 䍃 represents the sound. Simplified form of 搖.

Memory Hint

hand

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 摇?

Decomposition of 摇

IDS Structure⿰扌䍃
摇Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
䍃you2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 摇?

Write 摇

摇

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 摇

摇 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.

是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3

Used to emphasize the action of shaking or rocking.

这把椅子是摇的。

Zhè bǎ yǐzi shì yáo de.

This chair is the one that rocks.

Exercise 1 of 1

Build the Sentence

This chair is the one that rocks.

Tap tokens to build the sentence

Common Confusions with 摇

摇vs遥
yáo

Same pinyin but different meaning.

摇 implies a gentle rocking motion, while 摆 suggests a more deliberate swinging or placing.

1

他在摇椅上摇。

摇 implies a gentle rocking motion, while 摆 suggests a more deliberate swinging or placing.

💡摇 has a softer motion, think of rocking in a chair.
Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "to shake"?

or

Usage Notes for 摇

Using 摇 vs. 摆Common Error

Learners often confuse 摇 (to rock) with 摆 (to swing or place). Use 摇 for gentle movements and 摆 for more deliberate actions.

1

我在摇篮里摇。

I rock in the cradle.

2

他在摆弄那个玩具。

He is fiddling with that toy.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我在____篮里摇。

I rock in the cradle.

Example Sentences for 摇 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
制作摇滚唱片并不要求你非得绝顶聪明。

zhì zuò yáo gǔn chàng piàn bìng bù yào qiú nǐ fēi dé jué dǐng cōng míng。

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to make a rock record.
2
窗户外边是一块草地，高高的草随风摇摆。

chuāng hù wài biān shì yī kuài cǎo dì， ， gāo gāo de cǎo suí fēng yáo。

The windows overlooked a lawn of tall waving grass.
3
许多校舍不安全，有些简直是摇摇欲坠。

xǔ duō xiào shě bù ān quán， ， yǒu xiē jiǎn zhí shì yáo yáo yù。

Many school buildings are unsafe, and some are falling apart.
4
摇滚乐自从朋克乐以后就已经过于商业化而缺乏新意了。

yáo gǔn lè zì cóng péng kè lè yǐ hòu jiù yǐ jīng guò yú shāng yè huà ér quē fá xīn yì le。

Rock'n'roll has become so commercialised and safe since punk.
5
摇滚乐实际无所不包，这一点很快就显而易见了。

yáo gǔn lè shí jì wú suǒ bù bāo， ， zhè yī diǎn hěn kuài jiù xiǎn ér yì jiàn。

It rapidly became apparent that rock'n'roll was a very broad church indeed.
6
一棵棵高大橡树的枝条随风摇摆。

yī kē kē gāo dà xiàng shù de zhī tiáo suí fēng yáo bǎi。

The wind was bouncing the branches of the big oak trees.
7
他曾告诉一位采访者，他甚至都不喜欢摇滚乐。

tā zēng gào sù yī wèi cǎi fǎng zhě， ， tā shèn zhì dū bù xǐ huān yáo gǔn。

He once told an interviewer that he didn't even like rock music.
8
他一进来，狗就开始摇头摆尾。

tā yī jìn lái， ， gǒu jiù kāi shǐ yáo tóu bǎi。

As soon as he got inside, the dog shook himself.
9
他摇摇头，用纸巾擦掉眼泪。

tā yáo yáo tóu， ， yòng zhǐ jīn cā diào yǎn。

He shook his head and wiped his tears with a tissue.
10
他摇摇晃晃地行走在停车场凹凸不平的地面上。

tā yáo yáo huǎng huǎng dì háng zǒu zài tíng chē cháng āo tū bù píng de dì miàn shàng。

He staggered on the uneven surface of the car park.

Cultural Notes for 摇

🏮Cultural insight

摇 is often associated with traditional Chinese music and dance, where performers may sway or shake their bodies to the rhythm, reflecting a cultural appreciation for movement in art and expression.

Word Family of 摇

Words Containing This Character20
摇yáoto shake搖
摇滚yáogǔnto rock搖滾
摇头yáotóuto shake one's head搖頭
动摇dòngyáoto sway動搖
摇摆yáobǎito sway搖擺
摇滚乐rock music搖滾樂
摇晃yáohuàngto rock搖晃
摇篮yáoláncradle搖籃
摇摆舞swing (dance)搖擺舞
摇曳(of a flame) to flicker搖曳
招摇to brag招搖
摇动to shake搖動
摇摇欲坠yáoyáoyùzhuìtottering搖搖欲墜
摇摆不定indecisive搖擺不定
摇钱树a source of easy money (idiom)搖錢樹
摇身一变to change shape in a single shake搖身一變
摇篮曲lullaby搖籃曲
招摇过市to parade oneself ostentatiously about town (idiom)招搖過市
摇椅rocking chair搖椅
大摇大摆to strut大搖大擺
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 摇 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 摇

摇 (yáo) generally refers to shaking or rocking, while 摇晃 (yáohuàng) emphasizes the action of swaying or wobbling. Both can be used in similar contexts but carry slightly different nuances.