桡 (ráo) - oar & paddle

桡Tone 2

ráo ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

情仁

桡 · ráo

oar;

paddle;

to bend;

radius bone in the forearm.

oarpaddleto bend

Usage highlights

oarradius boneradial arterybendrow a boatradial nerve

Synonyms

  • 桨— oar; paddle
  • 橹— scull; sweep
  • 弯— to bend

Antonyms

  • 直— straight
  • 伸— to stretch

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He rowed the boat with an oar (用桡划船).
  • The radius is one of the two bones in the forearm (桡骨).
  • The branch bent under the weight of the snow (树枝桡曲).

Collocations

  • oar(桡)
  • radius bone(桡骨)
  • radial artery(桡动脉)
  • bend(桡曲)
  • row a boat(桡船)
  • radial nerve(桡神经)

Idioms

  • To bend but not break(桡而不折)
  • To row against the current(逆水行桡)
  • To follow the oar's direction(听桡而行)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Historically used for wooden oars in traditional Chinese boating and fishing.
  • In medicine, refers to the radius bone, important in traditional bone-setting practices.
  • The character appears in classical texts describing navigation and physical flexibility.

FAQ