ZiMaster Dictionary My decks

Character

刺

cì HSK 5
刺 cì HSK 5
  • 1. to pierce; to prick (a sharp object entering or passing through something)
  • 2. to irritate (a sense organ, causing discomfort)
  • 3. to spy; to investigate secretly
  • 4. to mock; to satirize with sharp words
  • 5. to assassinate
  • 6. thorn; spine; needle-like sharp point
  • 7. (lit.) name card; calling card
  • 8. a surname
Words using 刺 as cì (7)
  • 1 刺激 cì jī — stimulate HSK 5
    • 刺 prick, pierce (the sharp action)
    • 激 arouse, excite (the response provoked)
    Example

    这个游戏能刺激孩子们的想象力。

    zhè ge yóu xì néng cì jī hái zi men de xiǎng xiàng lì

    This game can stimulate children's imagination.

  • 2 冲刺 chōng cì — to sprint HSK 7
    • 冲 rush, dash forward
    • 刺 pierce through, burst forward
    Example

    运动员在最后一圈开始冲刺。

    yùn dòng yuán zài zuì hòu yī quān kāi shǐ chōng cì

    The athlete starts sprinting in the last lap.

  • 3 刺眼 cì yǎn — glaring HSK 7
    • 刺 to pierce, to irritate
    • 眼 eye
    Example

    阳光太刺眼了。

    yáng guāng tài cì yǎn le

    The sunlight is too glaring.

  • 4 刺绣 cì xiù — to embroider HSK 7
    • 刺 to pierce, to prick (the action of needle piercing through fabric)
    • 绣 to embroider, decorative stitching
    Example

    我奶奶会刺绣漂亮的图案。

    wǒ nǎi nai huì cì xiù piào liang de tú àn

    My grandmother can embroider beautiful patterns.

  • 5 刺耳 cì ěr — ear-piercing, harsh, grating HSK 7
    • 刺 to pierce, to irritate
    • 耳 ear
    Example

    突然的刹车声刺耳极了。

    tū rán de shā chē shēng cì ěr jí le

    The sudden brake sound was extremely ear-piercing.

Show more (+2)
  • 6 刺骨 cì gǔ — bone-chilling HSK 7
    • 刺 to pierce, to penetrate sharply
    • 骨 bone (indicating depth/intensity)
    Example

    冬天的寒风刺骨。

    dōng tiān de hán fēng cì gǔ

    The winter cold wind is bone-chilling.

  • 7 讽刺 fěng cì — to satirize, to mock HSK 7
    • 讽 indirect criticism or mockery through subtle means
    • 刺 sharp, piercing quality of the criticism; cutting or biting
    Example

    他用幽默的方式讽刺社会现象。

    tā yòng yōu mò de fāng shì fěng cì shè huì xiàn xiàng

    He uses humor to satirize social phenomena.

Structure & writing
刺 cì — to pierce; to prick (a sharp object entering or passing through something)

刺 is not used as a component in any other character.

consists of

1 朿 cì — thorn or spine on a plant
朿 is a component in 4 characters
HSK 5
刺 cì to pierce; to prick (a sharp object entering or passing through something)
HSK 6
策 cè ancient bamboo or wooden strips compiled into a bound volume
HSK 7
枣 zǎo jujube fruit; Chinese date 棘 jí jujube tree (deciduous shrub with thorny stems, yellow-green flowers, small sour fruit, seeds used medicinally)
2 刂 dāo — knife/blade radical (right-side form)
刂 is a component in 38 characters
HSK 1
到 dào to arrive; to reach 前 qián front; the direction one faces (opposite of 后) 师 shī teacher; instructor (one who imparts knowledge or skills) 班 bān a group organized for work or study
HSK 2
别 bié to part; to separate
HSK 3
刚 gāng hard; firm (opposite of "soft") 刮 guā to scrape (a surface with a knife or similar tool to remove something) 刷 shuā brush (a tool made of bristles, palm fiber, etc. for cleaning or applying substances) 刻 kè to carve or engrave patterns or characters on bamboo, wood, jade, stone, metal, etc.
HSK 4
划 huà to divide; to differentiate 列 liè to arrange; to list 则 zé rule, regulation, system 判 pàn to separate; to distinguish 利 lì sharp; keen (opposite of 'blunt')
Show more HSK 4 characters (+3)
剧 jù drama; theatrical play 剩 shèng to remain, to be left over 帅 shuài supreme commander of an army; highest military rank
HSK 5
创 chuàng to start; to do for the first time 删 shān to delete (words or phrases from a text) 刺 cì to pierce; to prick (a sharp object entering or passing through something) 副 fù secondary, auxiliary (opposite of 正) 浏 liú (lit.) clear and limpid (of water)
Show more HSK 5 characters (+1)
罚 fá to punish someone for a mistake or crime
HSK 6
刊 kān to delete and revise 刹 shā to brake; to stop (a vehicle, machine, etc.) 剑 jiàn sword (ancient weapon with a long blade sharpened on both edges and a short hilt; in modern fencing, a slender steel blade with no edge and a small ball at the tip) 割 gē to cut with a knife; to separate 竖 shù upright, vertical, perpendicular to the ground (opposite of '横')
HSK 7
刑 xíng criminal punishment; legal penalty imposed by the state on offenders 刨 páo to dig or excavate by striking downward with a pick, hoe, etc. 剂 jì to regulate; to harmonize 剃 tì to shave off (hair, beard, etc.) with a razor 削 xuē same meaning as 削 (xiāo), mostly used in compound words or idioms
Show more HSK 7 characters (+5)
剔 tī to strip or scrape meat from bone 剖 pōu to cut open; to split open 剥 bō same meaning as 剥 (bāo), used in compound words or idioms, e.g. 剥夺, 生吞活剥 荆 jīng chaste tree (a deciduous shrub with long-stalked palmate leaves, blue-purple flowers, and tough branches used for weaving baskets; branches formerly used as a flogging instrument) 辨 biàn to distinguish; to differentiate

Stroke order