Word

刺骨 (cì gǔ) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 7

Meaning of 刺骨

动 dòng verb

bone-chilling

冬天的寒风刺骨。

dōng tiān de hán fēng cì gǔ

The winter cold wind is bone-chilling.

Word breakdown

刺 cì — to pierce, to penetrate sharply

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.

骨 gǔ — bone (indicating depth/intensity)

1 骨头 gǔ tou — bone HSK 6
- 骨 bone (main semantic component)
- 头 nominal suffix (makes the word colloquial and concrete)
Example

狗喜欢啃骨头。

gǒu xǐ huan kěn gǔ tou

Dogs like to gnaw on bones.
2 骨干 gǔ gàn — backbone, key member, core personnel HSK 7
- 骨 bone; represents the fundamental skeletal structure and essential support
- 干 trunk, stem; represents the main body or central part, like a tree trunk
Example

他是公司的骨干员工。

tā shì gōng sī de gǔ gàn yuán gōng

He is a key employee of the company.
3 骨折 gǔ zhé — fracture HSK 7
- 骨 bone
- 折 break, fracture
Example

她不小心从楼梯上摔下来，骨折了。

tā bù xiǎo xin cóng lóu tī shàng shuāi xià lái gǔ zhé le

She accidentally fell down the stairs and fractured a bone.
4 骨架 gǔ jià — skeleton, framework HSK 7
- 骨 bone; provides the structural element meaning
- 架 frame, structure; provides the framework or supporting structure meaning
Example

这座建筑的钢铁骨架已经完成了。

zhè zuò jiàn zhù de gāng tiě gǔ jià yǐ jīng wán chéng le

The steel framework of this building has already been completed.
5 骨气 gǔ qì — integrity, backbone, strength of character HSK 7
- 骨 bone; represents the core foundation and inner strength of character
- 气 spirit, temperament; represents the outward manifestation of inner moral strength
Example

他是一个有骨气的人，从不屈服于压力。

tā shì yí gè yǒu gǔ qì de rén cóng bù qū fú yú yā lì

He is a person with integrity, never yielding to pressure.