摇

• Pinyin: yáo
• Hanzi breakdown: 摇 = 扌 (hand radical) + 䍃 (phonetic component), to shake or rock with the hands

Meaning

To shake; to rock; to sway. Describes a back-and-forth or oscillating motion.

Used for shaking one's head (摇头), rocking a cradle (摇摇篮), swaying in the wind (随风摇摆), or rowing a boat (摇桨). A versatile motion verb. Also appears in 摇滚 (rock music, literally to shake and roll) and 动摇 (to waver/shake one's resolve).

Examples

1. 妈妈轻轻地摇着摇篮，哄孩子入睡。 Mom gently rocked the cradle to coax the child to sleep.
2. 一阵风吹来，树枝轻轻地摇了起来。 A gust of wind came, and the branches began to sway gently.
3. 他摇了摇头，表示不同意这个方案。 He shook his head to show that he disagreed with this plan.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 他摇了摇头，没有说话。(He shook his head without saying anything.)
• 风把树枝摇得左右晃动。(The wind shook the branches from side to side.)

Don't Say

• 把'摇'和'抖'完全混用 (Don't confuse 摇 with 抖 — 摇 implies a deliberate or rhythmic swinging motion, while 抖 implies trembling or rapid shaking from fear, cold, or vibration)

Origin & History

The character 摇 is composed of 扌 (hand radical) and 䍃 (phonetic component involving a pottery vessel). The hand radical emphasises the physical action of shaking.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal