角 (jiǎo) - horn & angle

角Tone 3

jiǎo ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 角

健傑

角 · jiǎo

horn;

angle;

corner;

role (in drama);

unit of Chinese currency (equal to 1/10 yuan);

a measure word for competitions.

hornanglecorner

Usage highlights

TriangleCornerHornAngleRoleDime

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 圆— round (antonym to angle/corner)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The horn of an ox (牛角).
  • A right angle (直角).
  • He plays the role of a hero (扮演英雄角色).
  • The corner of the table (桌角).

Collocations

  • Triangle(三角形)
  • Corner(角落)
  • Horn(牛角)
  • Angle(角度)
  • Role(角色)
  • Dime(一角钱)

Idioms

  • A mantis trying to stop a chariot(螳臂当车, sometimes with 角 implying horn-like arms)
  • Sharp horns and conspicuous hooves(角立杰出)
  • Horns and fangs(角牙之利)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the earliest forms of currency in China was cowrie shells, and later metal coins shaped like cowrie shells were called 角.
  • In Chinese drama, '角' refers to a role or part, and by extension, a star performer.
  • In traditional Chinese architecture, '角' often refers to the corners of buildings, which were sometimes decorated with animal horns for protection.

FAQ