窖 (jiào) — cellar, pit (for underground storage)
Definition
An underground cellar or pit dug into the ground for storing things like wine or grain. In everyday speech 地下室 or 地窖 is more common; 窖 is the literary/technical term.
noun
cellarpit (for underground storage)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused
- 窑yáolook-alikekiln (for firing pottery, bricks, or lime)
- 叫jiàosound-aliketo be called; to call (a name)
- 觉jiàosound-alikesleep
- 校jiàosound-aliketo proofread, to check, to collate (bound form, used in compounds)
- 较jiàosound-alike(adverb) relatively, comparatively, rather (modifying an adjective)
- 轿jiàosound-alikesedan chair
Examples
- 窖。Tā men bǎ jiǔ fàng zài jiào lǐ.They put the wine in the cellar.
- 窖。Zhè ge jiào néng cún hěn duō liáng shi.This cellar can store a lot of grain.
- 窖。Wā yí gè jiào xū yào hěn duō shí jiān.Digging a cellar takes a lot of time.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
窖 has 穴, a hole or cave, and 告, which gives the sound.
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