桥
qiáo · bridge💡 How to pronounce
q → like 'ch' but with tongue flat and a puff of air. iáo → like 'yow' with a rising tone.
📖 The Story
桥 is a bridge — a structure that connects two sides. The character combines 'wood' (木) and 'tall' (乔) — wooden bridges were the first bridges built in ancient China. In Chinese culture, bridges are symbols of connection, reunion, and crossing from one world to another.
🎬 In Culture Today
The most famous Chinese bridge is the Marco Polo Bridge (卢沟桥) near Beijing. In movies, bridges are where characters meet, part, and make decisions that change their lives.
📚 Words
📝 Example Sentences
这座桥很古老。
This bridge is very old.
我们在桥上拍照。
We take photos on the bridge.