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斫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
斫zhuóto chop, to cut, to lop offvg, 9 strokes, radical 斤
斫zhuóto hackunknown, 9 strokes, radical 斤
斫zhuóto carve woodunknown, 9 strokes, radical 斤
zhuó(zhuo2) T2
  1. 1to chop, to cut, to lop off
  2. 2to hack
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March 24, 2026

斫zhuó(zhuo2)

The character 斫 (zhuó) means to chop or cut, particularly with a tool like an axe or knife. It is commonly used in contexts involving woodworking or other crafts where materials are being shaped or removed. This term conveys a sense of forceful cutting, often implying precision and intention.

Strokes9Radical斤
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese craftsmanship, 斫 is a vital skill in wood carving, which has deep roots in Chinese culture, particularly in the making of furniture and art. The craftsmanship involved is highly respected, reflecting patience and artistry.

Memory Tip

Imagine an artist named Zhuo who carves sculptures from wood. He uses a large axe (the radical 斧 represents tools) to chop away at the wood, shaping it into beautiful forms. The sound 'zhuó' can remind you of the action of chopping or lopping off pieces of wood.

Meanings of 斫

zhuó(zhuo2)
1to chop, to cut, to lop off
2to hack
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 斫

斫Simplified
9Strokes
斤Radical
动语素dòngcíverb root (v.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 斫

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Podcast: 斫

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AI Study Notes for 斫

Quick Contrast

锯 (jù) vs 切 (qiē) — use 斫 (zhuó) when emphasizing forceful chopping with a tool, while 锯 (jù) refers specifically to sawing, and 切 (qiē) indicates cutting in a more general or delicate manner.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 斫 (zhuó) with similar sounding words like 折 (zhé), which means to break or fold. This character is typically used in more formal contexts related to craftsmanship and is less common in everyday conversation. It often appears in compound words related to woodworking.

HSK Study Tips

While 斫 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it is related to the theme of craftsmanship seen in other HSK words. Focus on understanding its use in context with other verbs of action, especially those related to physical activities or manual labor.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 斫 (zhuó) with other cutting-related verbs. For example, saying '我斫了纸' (Wǒ zhuó le zhǐ) to mean 'I chopped paper' is incorrect; the appropriate verb for cutting paper is 剪 (jiǎn).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 斫

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Etymology of 斫

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

axe

Semantic (meaning)斤
+
Phonetic (sound)石
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 斫

  1. 1The meaning half斤 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half石 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayaxe
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 斫? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 斫?

Decomposition of 斫

IDS Structure⿰石斤
斫Full Character
=
石dan4
left
斤jin1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 斫?

How to say to chop, to cut, to lop off in Chinese

“to chop, to cut, to lop off” in Chinese is斫zhuó

The character 斫 (zhuó) means to chop or cut, particularly with a tool like an axe or knife. It is commonly used in contexts involving woodworking or other crafts where materials are being shaped or removed. This term conveys a sense of forceful cutting, often implying precision and intention.

When to use 斫

Be careful not to confuse 斫 (zhuó) with similar sounding words like 折 (zhé), which means to break or fold. This character is typically used in more formal contexts related to craftsmanship and is less common in everyday conversation. It often appears in compound words related to woodworking.

斫 or something close to it

锯 (jù) vs 切 (qiē) — use 斫 (zhuó) when emphasizing forceful chopping with a tool, while 锯 (jù) refers specifically to sawing, and 切 (qiē) indicates cutting in a more general or delicate manner.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 斫 (zhuó) with other cutting-related verbs. For example, saying '我斫了纸' (Wǒ zhuó le zhǐ) to mean 'I chopped paper' is incorrect; the appropriate verb for cutting paper is 剪 (jiǎn).

Write 斫

斫

Practice writing 斫 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 斫

Words Containing This Character2
斫zhuóto chop
斫丧to ravage斫喪
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 斫 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 斫

The pronunciation is zhuó, with a rising tone that sounds like 'jwo'.

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