撬棍
qiàogùn
The Chinese word for crowbar is 撬棍 (qiàogùn). Wiktionary also lists 鐵撬 / 铁撬 (tiěqiào) and 撬杠 (qiàogàng).
Meaning: iron or steel bar used as a lever to manually force things apart (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 撬棍 | qiàogùn |
| 鐵撬 / 铁撬 | tiěqiào |
| 撬杠 | qiàogàng |
| 鐵挺 / 铁挺 | tiětǐng |
A crowbar is an iron or steel bar used as a lever to manually force things apart.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 撬棍 is composed of 撬, meaning to pry or lever and 棍, meaning rod or stick.
Which one should you use?
撬棍 is the most common general term. In more technical or industrial contexts, you may use 撬杠 to refer to a lever bar. The term 铁撬 emphasizes the material used, literally meaning 'iron pry'.
How do you pronounce it?
qiàogùn
Did you know?
- If you were to use a crowbar to pry something open in a way that is perceived as 'forceful' or 'unprincipled' in a social context, the verb 撬 can metaphorically describe someone trying to manipulate a situation or person.
- The character 撬 contains the radical 金, which represents 'metal'. This is a visual clue that the object is made of hard material like iron or steel.
- The term 棍 in 撬棍 is the same word used for the 'staff' or 'pole' found in traditional Chinese martial arts.
Examples in context
- 我们需要一把撬棍。Wǒmen xūyào yī bǎ qiàogùn.We need a crowbar.
- 这根撬棍太重了。Zhè gēn qiàogùn tài zhòng le.This crowbar is too heavy.
- 把那把撬棍拿给我。Bǎ nà bǎ qiàogùn ná gěi wǒ.Hand me that crowbar.
Example conversation
Two people are trying to open a stuck wooden crate.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen这个箱子打不开。Zhège xiāngzi dǎ bù kāi.I can't open this box.
- 伟 Wei我去找一把撬棍。Wǒ qù zhǎo yī bǎ qiàogùn.I will go look for a crowbar.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen快一点，伟。Kuài yīdiǎn, Wěi.Be quick, Wei.
- 伟 Wei找到了，就在工具箱里。Zhǎodào le, jiù zài gōngjùxiāng lǐ.Found it, it is in the toolbox.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “crowbar” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
