矫 (jiǎo) - To rectify, correct, straighten & strong, vigorous

矫Tone 3

jiǎo ｜ 11 strokes ｜ radical:

健傑

矫 · jiǎo

To rectify, correct, straighten;

strong, vigorous;

to pretend, feign;

also refers to something that is artificial or forced.

To rectify, correct, straightenstrong, vigorousto pretend, feign

Usage highlights

Correct postureStrong and vigorousFeign innocenceOvercorrectArcheryStubborn

Synonyms

  • 正— to correct, rectify
  • 纠— to rectify, correct
  • 强— strong, vigorous

Antonyms

  • 曲— crooked, bent
  • 弱— weak, feeble
  • 真— genuine, real

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Correcting posture(矫正姿势)
  • Strong and vigorous physique(矫健的身姿)
  • Feigning innocence(矫揉造作)
  • Overcorrecting a mistake(矫枉过正)

Collocations

  • Correct posture(矫正)
  • Strong and vigorous(矫健)
  • Feign innocence(矫情)
  • Overcorrect(矫枉过正)
  • Archery(矫箭)
  • Stubborn(矫顽)

Idioms

  • Overcorrecting a mistake(矫枉过正)
  • Feigning innocence(矫揉造作)
  • Strong and vigorous(矫若游龙)
  • Brave and fierce(矫矫虎臣)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally related to straightening arrows, later extended to mean correcting or rectifying.
  • In traditional archery, '矫箭' meant straightening arrows for accurate shooting.
  • Can carry both positive (corrective, strong) and negative (artificial, pretentious) connotations depending on context.

FAQ