橋 / 桥
qiáo
The English word 'bridge' can be translated into several Chinese varieties, such as 橋 / 桥 (qiáo) in Dungan. If unsure, use 橋 / 桥. Wiktionary also lists 橋樑 / 桥梁 (qiáoliáng).
Meaning: construction or natural feature that spans a divide (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 橋 / 桥 | qiáo | |
| 橋樑 / 桥梁 | qiáoliáng | |
| 橋 / 桥 | kiâu / kiô | Hokkien |
The word refers to a construction or natural feature that spans a divide. In technical fields like computing and telecommunications, the term 橋接 / 桥接 is used specifically to mean 'to bridge' or 'to connect' networks.
Which one should you use?
While 橋 / 桥 is the common word for a bridge, 橋樑 / 桥梁 is a more formal or technical term often used in literature or engineering to refer to bridges as structures.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The form чё is specific to the Dungan language, which is a variety of Chinese spoken by Muslim communities in Central Asia. The forms 橋 / 桥 (kiâu / kiô) are used in Hokkien, a Chinese language variety spoken in Fujian, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. Additionally, the form 橋 (kiu3) is used in Cantonese.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation for 橋 / 桥 is qiáo.
Did you know?
- In Chinese culture, the 'Magpie Bridge' 鵲橋 is a mythical bridge formed by magpies that allows two lovers to meet once a year.
- Because of its historical roots in wood, the character 橋 carries a visual 'DNA' of forest-derived materials through its radical.
- While 橋 refers to the physical structure, the term 橋樑 is often used metaphorically in Chinese to describe a person or an organization that acts as a 'mediator' between two sides.
Examples in context
- 请沿着这座桥走到对面。(Qǐng yánzhe zhè zuò qiáo zǒu dào duìmiàn.)Please walk across this bridge.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bridge” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
