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挑 (tiǎo) — to poke, to prick; to raise, to lift (with a pole); to incite, to stir up

Definition

挑 (tiǎo) means to poke, lift with a pole, or stir up trouble — a single character with three concrete senses. Don't confuse with 挑选 (tiāoxuǎn, 'to choose/select'), which is a different word built on the tiāo reading.

verb
to poketo prickto raiseto lift (with a pole)to inciteto stir up
Easily confused

Examples

  • 挑。
    Tā yòng gùn zi tiǎo le yí xià huǒ.
    He poked the fire with a stick.
  • 挑。
    Wū dǐng shàng tiǎo zhe yí miàn hóng qí.
    A red flag is raised on the roof.
  • 。
    Tā shì tú tiǎo qǐ wǒ men de máo dùn.
    He tried to stir up conflict between us.

Origin

Sound + meaning
六书liùshū
形声xíngshēng

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
手手shǒuhand
Sound part声符shēngfú
兆
兆zhào挑tiāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

挑 has 手, meaning hand, and 兆, which gives the sound.

Appears in
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