Learn Chinese Characters

Meaning

surface; exterior; to watch; to show; express; an example

Chinese: 表面、表达或表格。

Hear the Four Tones

The same syllable “biao” becomes a different word in each tone. 表 is the 3rd tone. Tap any tone to hear a native voice and see its pitch shape.

Stroke Order

Tap Animate to watch the strokes in order, or Practice to trace it yourself.

Common Words

  • 手表shǒu biǎowristwatch
  • 表现biǎo xiànto show; to show off; to display; to manifest
  • 代表dài biǎorepresentative; delegate; to represent; to stand for
  • 表示biǎo shì(of sb) to express; to state; to show; (of sth) to indicate
  • 表演biǎo yǎnplay; show; performance; exhibition

Example Sentence

请填写这张表格。Qǐng tián xiě zhè zhāng biǎo gé.Please fill out this form.

Qǐngto ask填写tián xiěto fill in a formzhèthiszhāngto open up表格biǎo géform

Go deeper

Where this character comes from

Originally fur (毛) worn on the outside of a robe (衣): the ‘outside, surface’. Senses: ‘surface, outside; to show, express; a table/chart/form; a watch (錶)’ (表面, 表示, 表格, 手表).

A way to remember it

The outside / surface — to show; a form; a watch.