蛟

jiāo

交 + 虫

Definitions

jiāo a legendary dragon with the ability to control rain and floods; see also 蛟龍|蛟龙[jiāo lóng]

Etymology

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

Semantic: 虫 Phonetic: 交

About

As a phono-semantic compound, 蛟 combines the radical 虫 (insect/reptile) with the phonetic component 交. The radical 虫 broadly classifies it among insects, reptiles, or mythical serpent-like beings, while 交 provides the character's pronunciation. 蛟 specifically denotes a mythical aquatic creature from Chinese folklore, a scaly water dragon believed to inhabit deep rivers and pools, capable of summoning floods and storms.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

传说中有一条蛟龙。

Chuánshuō zhōng yǒu yī tiáo jiāolóng.

In legend, there is a flood dragon.

蛟龙生活在深水里。

Jiāolóng shēnghuó zài shēn shuǐ lǐ.

Flood dragons live in deep water.

人们害怕蛟龙的出现。

Rénmen hàipà jiāolóng de chūxiàn.

People fear the appearance of flood dragons.

古代神话里常有蛟龙的故事。

Gǔdài shénhuà lǐ cháng yǒu jiāolóng de gùshì.

Ancient myths often have stories about flood dragons.

蛟龙能够呼风唤雨。

Jiāolóng nénggòu hū fēng huàn yǔ.

Flood dragons can summon wind and rain.

探险家想寻找蛟龙的踪迹。

Tànxiǎnjiā xiǎng xúnzhǎo jiāolóng de zōngjī.

Explorers want to find traces of flood dragons.

蛟龙在波涛中翻滚，气势惊人。

Jiāolóng zài bōtāo zhōng fāngǔn, qìshì jīngrén.

The flood dragon rolls in the waves, its momentum is astonishing.

虽然蛟龙只是传说中的生物，但它的形象深入人心。

Suīrán jiāolóng zhǐshì chuánshuō zhōng de shēngwù, dàn tā de xíngxiàng shēnrù rénxīn.

Although flood dragons are only creatures of legend, their image is deeply rooted in people's hearts.

Related Characters

Component: 交

Component: 虫

蛟