Word

刺 (cì) — Chinese word meaning

HSK 6

Meaning of 刺

动 dòng verb

to stab

蜜蜂刺了我的手。

mì fēng cì le wǒ de shǒu

The bee stung my hand.

名 míng noun

thorn

玫瑰花上有很多刺。

méi gui huā shàng yǒu hěn duō cì

Roses have many thorns.

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Word breakdown

刺 cì — to stab

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.

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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

1 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

1.1 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)

1.2 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')

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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)

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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

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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