票
piào · HSK 1
ticket
🎟️ sounds like 'pyow' — the snap of a ticket being torn at the gate
票 piào covers tickets, ballots, and bank notes — any small slip of paper with value. The top 覀 was once a fire-and-flame element; modern 票 just means a printed slip you hand over or cast.
票 — fire 火 (bottom) + 覀 (cover/west)
Originally written with 火 (fire) below 覀, depicting sparks or embers rising from a fire. The early meaning was 'flying sparks' or 'light, floating thing.' Over time it shifted to mean a slip of paper, ticket, or note — something light and easily passed around.
piào · HSK 3
ticket
🎫 piào sounds like 'pyow' — the sound of a ticket stamp
票 (piào) means ticket or vote. The top 覀 is a simplified form of 西 (west), and the bottom 示 means show/altar — historically a slip of paper shown as proof. Common in 机票 (plane ticket) and 投票 (to vote).
票 — fire 火 (bottom) + 覀 (cover/west)
Originally written with 火 (fire) below 覀, depicting sparks or embers rising from a fire. The early meaning was 'flying sparks' or 'light, floating thing.' Over time it shifted to mean a slip of paper, ticket, or note — something light and easily passed around.