(jiāo) — to water (plants); to pour (a liquid) over something; to cast (metal)

Definition

Verb that covers three actions: watering plants, pouring liquid over something, and casting molten metal into a shape. For irrigation see 灌溉; for shaping clay by hand see 捏.

verb
to water (plants)to pour (a liquid) over somethingto cast (metal)

Examples

  • Zhè xiē huā xū yào měi tiān jiāo shuǐ.
    These flowers need to be watered every day.
  • Mā ma zài cài shàng jiāo le yì diǎn jiàng yóu.
    Mom poured a little soy sauce on the dish.
  • Gōng rén yòng tiě shuǐ jiāo le yí gè mó xíng.
    The worker cast a mold with molten iron.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 澆; 浇 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
shuǐwater
Sound part声符shēngfú
yáojiāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 澆 pairs 水 (water) with 堯 as a sound part; the simplified 浇 is a shorthand.

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