Definitions

jiāo (verb) to pour liquid; to water
jiāo (verb) to irrigate
jiāo (verb) to cast (molten metal)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound. Simplified form of .

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character for "to pour" or "to irrigate" originates from the traditional form "澆", which structurally integrates the water radical on the left to signify liquid-related actions, paired with the component "堯" on the right primarily serving a phonetic function rather than conveying inherent meaning. Etymologically, this character initially described the agricultural practice of watering fields, but over time its usage expanded to include the general act of pouring any liquid and, later, specialized applications such as the casting of metals in industrial processes. While the fundamental concept of transferring or applying liquids has persisted, the character's adaptation to new contexts mirrors broader historical shifts in both agrarian and manufacturing techniques, with its water radical consistently providing semantic clarity despite gradual phonological and graphical modifications.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈在花。

Māma zài jiāo huā.

Mom is watering the flowers.

我每天水。

Wǒ měitiān jiāo shuǐ.

I water every day.

他用水菜。

Tā yòng shuǐ jiāo cài.

He waters the vegetables with water.

农民灌田地。

Nóngmín jiāoguàn tiándì.

Farmers irrigate the fields.

夏天需要多水。

Xiàtiān xūyào duō jiāo shuǐ.

In summer, you need to water more.

花的时候要小心。

Jiāo huā de shíhòu yào xiǎoxīn.

Be careful when watering flowers.

他用喷壶阳台上的植物。

Tā yòng pēnhú jiāo yángtái shàng de zhíwù.

He uses a watering can to water the plants on the balcony.

为了保持土壤湿润,我们定期灌花园。

Wèile bǎochí tǔrǎng shīrùn, wǒmen dìngqī jiāoguàn huāyuán.

In order to keep the soil moist, we regularly irrigate the garden.