piāo
verb

Meanings

  1. 1 to plunder; to rob
  2. 2 to plagiarize; to lift (someone else's work)
  3. 3 swift; nimble; agile

Examples

HSK 7-9
Nà wèi zuòzhě yīn piāoqiè tārén de yánjiū ér bèi bàoguāng.
That author was exposed for plagiarizing someone else's research.
HSK 7-9
Zhèxiē qíbīng piāohàn, nányǐ fángbèi.
These cavalrymen are swift and fierce, hard to defend against.

Tips

usage
Two common compounds: 剽窃 ('to plagiarize / steal others' work') and 剽悍 ('agile and fierce,' of fighters or animals). Mainland reads piāo; Taiwan reads it piào.

Components

radical
dāo
knife (right-side radical)
Right side is the upright knife radical, side-form of . A blade signals robbery and cutting away - fitting for plundering or 'lifting' someone's work. Same family as to cut and to stab.
phonetic
piào
ticket; slip
Left side supplies the sound (piào to piāo). Same phonetic in to float and to flutter; here it lends only its reading.

Stroke Order

piāo