叫 (jiào) means "to call, to be called" with HSK 1 on the new exam.
Pronunciation
Meaning
Primary: to call
Other meanings:
- to be called
Etymology
Oracle-bone origin
叫 does not have a clear oracle-bone pictograph of its own and is best understood as a phono-semantic compound. The 口 on the left supplies the semantic field of mouth and sound, while 丩 on the right (depicting two entangled vines) carries the phonetic value that gave the character its reading. The combination suggests a sound issuing from the mouth.
Form evolution
Seal script clearly shows 口 beside the twisted 丩 element, which itself is drawn as two curving interlocking strokes. Clerical script straightened 丩 into the compact right-hand component seen today, and 楷书 finalised it. The left-hand 口 remained stable throughout.
How the meaning evolved
The earliest attested meaning is to cry out or shout, a sound from the mouth. From there it extended to calling someone by name, naming in general (他叫小明), and summoning or ordering. In modern Mandarin it also functions as a passive marker in colloquial speech (被 type constructions with 叫), which is a much later grammatical development.
Cultural note
The colloquial passive 叫 in sentences like 他叫雨淋了 often trips up learners who expect 被. Both exist, but 叫 and 让 are preferred in spoken Mandarin while 被 carries a more formal or written feel.
Basic info
Example sentences
他叫李明。
Tā jiào Lǐ Míng.
He is called Li Ming.
From 叫 (HSK 1)
Words containing 叫
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | HSK |
|---|---|---|---|
| 叫 | jiào | to call, to be called | HSK 1 |
On the new HSK 1 exam
Studying for HSK 1? Keep 叫 with the rest of your level.
HSK Lord schedules your reviews so each character comes back right before you would forget it. Free to start, and it picks up where you are.
Frequently Asked Questions
Appears in these articles
Reviewed by RJ Murray, Founder, HSK Lord.