飃 (piāo) - To float in the air & to drift

飃Tone 1

piāo ｜ 20 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

飃 · piāo

To float in the air;

to drift;

to flutter;

to be blown about by the wind.

To float in the airto driftto flutter

Usage highlights

Float and driftFloat in the windFlutter and danceFloat and riseDrift with the currentFloat in the air

Synonyms

  • 飘— to float, to flutter (modern simplified form)
  • 飞— to fly
  • 扬— to rise, to float upward

Antonyms

  • 沉— to sink
  • 落— to fall down
  • 定— fixed, stationary

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The leaves are floating in the wind (树叶在风中飃).
  • A feather drifted down gently (一根羽毛轻轻飃落).
  • Her long hair fluttered in the breeze (她的长发在微风中飃飃).
  • The kite is flying high in the sky (风筝在高空中飃扬).

Collocations

  • Float and drift(飃飃)
  • Float in the wind(随风飃)
  • Flutter and dance(飃舞)
  • Float and rise(飃升)
  • Drift with the current(随流飃)
  • Float in the air(空中飃)

Idioms

  • Floating and drifting without fixed abode(飃泊无定)
  • Fluttering like immortal beings(飃飃若仙)
  • Floating clouds and flowing water(行云流水 - related concept)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Often used in classical Chinese poetry to describe ethereal, light movements.
  • Associated with freedom, detachment, and spiritual transcendence in Taoist philosophy.
  • Commonly appears in descriptions of natural phenomena like falling leaves, snowflakes, or feathers.

FAQ