窍

竅

qiào

巧 + 穴

Definitions

qiào (noun) hole; opening; orifice

qiào (noun) key point; crucial aspect

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 穴 represents the meaning and 巧 represents the sound. Simplified form of 竅.

Semantic: 穴 Phonetic: 巧

About

The traditional character 竅 combines the semantic radical 穴 (cave or hole) at the top, indicating a physical opening, with the phonetic component 敫 (jiǎo). The simplified form 窍 retains the 穴 radical but replaces the phonetic element with the simpler 巧 (qiǎo), which also subtly suggests cleverness. The character originally refers to physical holes or bodily orifices, such as the ears, eyes, mouth, and nose. Metaphorically, it extends to mean an opening for intelligence or understanding, the key to solving a problem, implying mental clarity flows through unobstructed perceptual channels.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

掌握这个小窍门很容易。

Zhǎngwò zhège xiǎo qiàomén hěn róngyì.

Mastering this little trick is very easy.

他做事总是不得窍。

Tā zuòshì zǒngshì bù dé qiào.

He never seems to get the hang of doing things.

做菜的火候是个诀窍。

Zuòcài de huǒhòu shì gè juéqiào.

Controlling the heat is a key trick in cooking.

我还没摸到学习这门语言的窍。

Wǒ hái méi mō dào xuéxí zhè mén yǔyán de qiào.

I haven't yet found the knack for learning this language.

辣味呛得他七窍生烟。

Là wèi qiàng dé tā qīqiào shēng yān.

The spiciness choked him, making his "seven apertures" feel like they were smoking.

经过老师点拨，他忽然开了窍。

Jīngguò lǎoshī diǎnbō, tā hūrán kāile qiào.

After the teacher's guidance, he suddenly had an epiphany.

这件事的窍要在于耐心沟通。

Zhè jiàn shì de qiàoyào zàiyú nàixīn gōutōng.

The key to this matter lies in patient communication.

教育的目的之一是启发心智，开其窍。

Jiàoyù de mùdì zhī yī shì qǐfā xīnzhì, kāi qí qiào.

One of the purposes of education is to inspire the mind and open its faculties.

Related Characters

Component: 巧

窍