漂 piào pretty
pretty; good-looking
piào (pretty) and piāo (to float; to drift): 漂亮 piàoliang, 漂流 piāoliú
How to remember 漂: 氵 water + 票 ticket = pretty. The water of the harbour sparkles in the sun, and a tourist sketches the view on the back of her ticket because it is so pretty.
Component breakdown
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
漂 = 氵 water + 票 ticket
- 氵 water meaning
- 票 ticket sound
- 覀 west
- 示 show
The water of the harbour sparkles in the sun, and a tourist sketches the view on the back of her ticket because it is so pretty.
How it came to be
In the small seal form, water gives the meaning and the part beside it gives the sound.
How it is used
- Reading split. As piào only in 漂亮 (piàoliang) pretty / good-looking.
- Elsewhere piāo 'to float / drift': 漂流 (piāoliú) drift on a current, 漂浮 (piāofú) float; and piǎo 'to bleach'.
Words with 漂
Example sentences
- 这些花很漂亮。 Zhèxiē huā hěn piàoliang.These flowers are very beautiful.
- 她的眼睛很漂亮。 Tā de yǎnjing hěn piàoliang.Her eyes are beautiful.
- 这朵花很漂亮。 Zhè duǒ huā hěn piàoliang.This flower is very pretty.
- 她的手指很漂亮。 Tā de shǒuzhǐ hěn piàoliang.Her fingers are very beautiful.