How to Write 湫 (jiǎo) — Meaning “A pool, pond, or low-lying ground.”

Imagine an autumn (秋) pond (氵) where fallen leaves collect on the water. The water radical reminds you it is a body of water, and "autumn" helps you recall the sound jiǎo, since 秋 is pronounced qiū but with a different tone.

First write the water radical 氵 as three dots, then the left part of 秋 (禾), and finally the right part (火). Keep the water radical small and compact, and make sure the 秋 part is slightly wider; a common mistake is writing the three dots too large or unevenly.

湫 has 秋 (autumn) on the right, while 流 has a different right component (㐬) meaning to flow, and 浙 has 折 (break/fold) on the right. So remember: 湫 = water + autumn, 流 = water + flowing, 浙 = water + break.

湫 is very rare in everyday speech and mostly appears in place names such as 龙湫 (dragon pool), which refers to famous waterfalls in Chinese scenic areas. It can also be found in classical poetry to describe a quiet pond or low-lying marshy ground.

Common words containing 湫 include: 龙湫 (lóng jiǎo) — dragon pool; waterfall; 湫水 (jiǎo shuǐ) — Pool water.; 湫隘 (jiǎo ài) — Low-lying and narrow..