腰 (yāo) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 腰 (yāo) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 腰 (yāo) means "waist". It is an HSK Level 4 character, with 13 strokes and the radical ⺼.

Q: How do you write 腰 stroke by stroke?

腰 has 13 strokes. The radical is ⺼. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 腰 and 脚?

腰 (yāo) and 脚 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 腰?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical ⺼. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 腰?

Common words containing 腰 include: 腰疼 (yāo téng) — backache; 弯腰 (wān yāo) — To bend over; 裤腰 (kù yāo) — Waistband of trousers.

How to Write 腰

The character 腰 (yāo) is written with 13 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical ⺼ is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

腰 is pronounced yāo in Mandarin Chinese. It means waist.

As an HSK Level 4 character, 腰 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 腰

腰疼 yāo téng

backache

弯腰 wān yāo

To bend over

裤腰 kù yāo

Waistband of trousers

Example Sentences

我的腰疼了一天。

wǒ de yāo téng le yī tiān

My lower back has been hurting all day.

请不要弯腰拿东西。

qǐng bú yào wān yāo ná dōng xī

Please don't bend over to pick things up.

这条裤腰太紧了。

zhè tiáo kù yāo tài jǐn le

The waistband of these pants is too tight.

Similar Characters

脚 jiǎo

脱 tuō

脸 liǎn

Practice Writing 腰 (yāo)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 腰 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 腰

What does 腰 (yāo) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 腰 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 腰 and 脚?

What mistakes do learners make writing 腰?

What common words use 腰?

How to Write 腰 (yāo)