靠 kào nearby
nearby; to lean against or on; to depend on
How to remember 靠: 告 to tell + 非 not = nearby. The lost tourist asks the waiter to tell him how far the beach is, and the waiter says, not impressed, "It's right nearby."
Component breakdown
靠 = 告 to tell + 非 not
- 告 to tell
- 𠂒 calf
- 口 mouth
- 非 not
The lost tourist asks the waiter to tell him how far the beach is, and the waiter says, not impressed, "It's right nearby."
How it is used
- Core verb meaning "to lean/rest against" or "to depend on": 靠窗的座位 (kào chuāng de zuòwèi) "the seat by the window," 靠自己 (kào zìjǐ) "rely on oneself."
- 可靠 kěkào is the adjective "reliable/trustworthy," and 依靠 yīkào is a more formal, weightier verb for depending on something essential, like family support.
- On its own as an exclamation, 靠! is a mild, casual swear (like "damn!") heard in spoken and internet Chinese - not textbook-formal.
Words with 靠
Example sentences
- 知识要靠阅读来积累。 Zhīshi yào kào yuèdú lái jīlěi.Knowledge is accumulated by reading.