狡

jiǎo

交 + 犭

Definitions

jiǎo (adjective) crafty; cunning; sly

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 犭 represents the meaning and 交 represents the sound.

Semantic: 犭 Phonetic: 交

About

狡 is a phonosemantic compound: the radical 犭 (dog/animal) conveys the meaning, while 交 indicates the sound. It originally denoted a wild, dog-like beast or the swift, unpredictable movements of animals evading capture. Over time, the character shifted to describe people who were deceitful and untrustworthy, echoing the perceived craftiness of such animals. In modern usage, it almost exclusively describes someone cunning and manipulative, using calculated intelligence for selfish or malicious purposes.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)

Seal Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

他非常狡猾。

Tā fēicháng jiǎohuá.

He is very cunning.

这只狐狸很狡猾。

Zhè zhī húli hěn jiǎohuá.

This fox is very cunning.

狡诈的人不可信。

Jiǎozhà de rén bù kě xìn.

Cunning people are not trustworthy.

他的狡辩没有用处。

Tā de jiǎobiàn méiyǒu yòngchù.

His quibbling is useless.

商人用狡猾的手段赚钱。

Shāngrén yòng jiǎohuá de shǒuduàn zhuàn qián.

Businessmen use cunning methods to make money.

尽管他狡辩，但真相已明。

Jǐnguǎn tā jiǎobiàn, dàn zhēnxiàng yǐ míng.

Although he quibbles, the truth is already clear.

他的狡猾计划最终失败了。

Tā de jiǎohuá jìhuà zuìzhōng shībài le.

His cunning plan ultimately failed.

在谈判中，他表现出狡诈的一面。

Zài tánpàn zhōng, tā biǎoxiàn chū jiǎozhà de yīmiàn.

In the negotiation, he showed his cunning side.

Related Characters

Component: 交

Component: 犭

狡