jiao
RareSpecialist
Definition
Meaning
A monetary unit of China, equal to one tenth of a yuan or one tenth of a renminbi.
A Chinese unit of area (approximately 0.165 acres or 0.0667 hectares).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
As a monetary unit, it is a specific, concrete term used primarily in financial contexts related to China. As a unit of area, its usage is historical or highly specialized in agricultural or land-related texts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No meaningful difference. Usage is identical, relating exclusively to Chinese contexts.
Connotations
Neutral technical term; no cultural connotations beyond its Chinese origin.
Frequency
Exceedingly rare in general English usage; appears only in specialized financial reports, historical texts, or travel guides focusing on China.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
NUM jiaothe jiaoVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Not a single jiao left.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in financial contexts discussing the Chinese currency (e.g., 'The price fell by just a few jiao').
Academic
Appears in economic papers, historical studies of Chinese currency, or metrology texts.
Everyday
Virtually never used outside of direct experience with Chinese cash.
Technical
Precise term in foreign exchange or numismatics.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I have one jiao in my hand.
- The snack costs only five jiao.
- The antique coin was worth ten jiao in the old currency system.
- Fluctuations in the exchange rate affected the value of the jiao against the dollar.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
JIAO sounds like 'cow' without the 'c' – think of a small Chinese coin you could buy a tiny bit of a cow with.
Conceptual Metaphor
A SMALL PART OF A LARGER WHOLE (as it is a fraction of the yuan).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'копейка' beyond the conceptual similarity as small change; it is a specific foreign term.
- The Cyrillic spelling 'цзяо' is a direct transliteration, not a translation.
Common Mistakes
- Capitalizing it (it's a common noun).
- Using plural 'jiaos' (the plural is typically 'jiao').
- Confusing it with 'yuan'.
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'jiao' primarily?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a loanword from Chinese, adopted into English to specifically denote the Chinese monetary unit.
It is pronounced /dʒaʊ/, rhyming with 'now'.
Yes, but the plural form is typically 'jiao' (e.g., fifty jiao), though 'jiaos' is occasionally seen.
Yes, it remains a subunit of the renminbi (RMB), though coins and notes for values under 1 yuan are less commonly used in digital transactions.