(diāo) - carve, engrave, decorate & to adorn with patterns or designs

Tone 1

diāo | 11 strokes | radical:

· diāo

carve, engrave, decorate;

to adorn with patterns or designs;

to depict or portray through carving.

carve, engrave, decorateto adorn with patterns or designsto depict or portray through carving.

Usage highlights

carvingengravingcarved decorationwood carvingstone carvingjade carving

Synonyms

  • carve, engrave (modern variant)
  • engrave, carve
  • carve, engrave intricately

Antonyms

  • coarse, rough (opposite of finely carved)
  • plain, unadorned

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He carved a dragon on the pillar (在柱子上彫龙).
  • The craftsman engraved intricate patterns (彫刻精细图案).
  • This jade is beautifully carved (这块玉彫工精美).
  • The wooden screen is exquisitely carved (木屏风彫琢精美).

Collocations

  • carving(彫刻)
  • engraving(彫琢)
  • carved decoration(彫饰)
  • wood carving(木彫)
  • stone carving(石彫)
  • jade carving(玉彫)

Idioms

  • Carving insects and engraving seals(彫虫篆刻)
  • Carving ice and sculpting snow(彫冰画雪)
  • Carving and polishing jade(彫琢玉石)
  • Carving a dragon and painting a phoenix(彫龙画凤)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically associated with craftsmanship and artistry in Chinese decorative arts.
  • Used in classical texts to describe meticulous work in jade, wood, and stone carving.
  • Implies skill, precision, and aesthetic refinement in traditional Chinese arts.

FAQ