How to Write 骁 (xiāo) — Meaning “brave; valiant; excellent horse”

Imagine a horse (马) that is so brave it is ridden by the legendary emperor Yao (尧). This mental picture links the horse radical with the sound component to mean "valiant and fierce."

Write the left radical 马 (3 strokes) first: horizontal fold, vertical fold hook, horizontal. Then write the right part 尧 (6 strokes): horizontal, left-falling, two horizontals, vertical hook, left-falling. A common mistake is making the right part too wide — keep it narrow and balanced with the left side.

驱 (qū) means "to drive" and uses the radical 区 (area) — it is about urging a horse forward, not bravery. 驳 (bó) means "to refute" or "variegated" and uses 交 (cross) — it suggests mixing or arguing, not valiance. 骁 specifically emphasizes courage and excellence in a horse or warrior.

骁 appears in formal or literary descriptions of brave soldiers, such as 骁勇 (xiāo yǒng, brave and fierce) and 骁将 (xiāo jiàng, brave general). It is also used in sports team names or video game characters to convey elite strength. Culturally, it evokes the spirit of ancient cavalry elites who were praised for their daring.

Common words containing 骁 include: 骁勇 (xiāo yǒng) — brave and fierce; valiant; 骁将 (xiāo jiàng) — brave general; 骁骑 (xiāo qí) — elite cavalry.