翹 (qiào) - To raise & to lift

翹Tone 4

qiào ｜ 18 strokes ｜ radical:

器情

翹 · qiào

To raise;

to lift;

to elevate;

outstanding;

prominent;

also used to describe something upturned or curling.

To raiseto liftto elevate

Usage highlights

To raise one's thumbOutstanding talentTo crane one's neckTo curl upwardsOutstanding and extraordinaryTo wait anxiously

Synonyms

  • 抬— to lift, to raise
  • 举— to lift, to hold up
  • 扬— to raise, to hoist

Antonyms

  • 垂— to droop, to hang down
  • 低— low, to lower
  • 俯— to bend down, to bow

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She raised her thumb (翘起大拇指).
  • The outstanding student (翘楚) won the award.
  • The corners of the roof are upturned (飞檐翘角).
  • Wait with neck craned (翘首以待).

Collocations

  • To raise one's thumb(翘大拇指)
  • Outstanding talent(翘楚)
  • To crane one's neck(翘首)
  • To curl upwards(翘起)
  • Outstanding and extraordinary(翘秀)
  • To wait anxiously(翘企)

Idioms

  • The Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove and other outstanding talents(七贤翘楚)
  • To crane one's head and stand on tiptoe(翘足引领)
  • To be outstanding among one's peers(人中翘楚)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted a bird raising its tail feathers, later extended to mean 'to lift' or 'to raise'.
  • In literary context, '翘楚' refers to an outstanding person, alluding to the tallest tree in a thicket.
  • Used in classical architecture to describe the distinctive upturned eaves of traditional Chinese buildings.

FAQ