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歼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
歼jiānto annihilate, to kill off, to wipe outv, 7 strokes, radical 歹, rank #45279, Very Hard
歼jiānabbr. for 殲擊機|歼击机, fighter planeunknown, 7 strokes, radical 歹, rank #45279, Very Hard
jiān(jian1)jian T1
  1. 1to annihilate, to kill off, to wipe out
  2. 2abbr. for 殲擊機|歼击机, fighter plane
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March 24, 2026

歼(殲)jiān(jian1)

The character 歼 (jiān) means to annihilate or wipe out, often used in military contexts. It is commonly associated with the destruction of enemies or threats, such as in the term for 'fighter plane' (歼击机), which refers to aircraft designed for air combat.

Strokes7Radical歹Frequency#45279DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In modern Chinese military terminology, 歼 is critical, especially in discussions about air force capabilities. The term reflects China's focus on strengthening its defense and military technology.

Memory tip

Imagine a fierce battle where a giant hand (the radical 歹, indicating death or destruction) sweeps away all opponents, annihilating them. The sound 'jiān' can be remembered with a story of a 'giant hand' that 'sweeps' everything away.

Meanings of 歼

jiān(jian1)
1to annihilate, to kill off, to wipe out
2abbr. for 殲擊機|歼击机, fighter plane
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 歼 means.

About 歼

歼Simplified
殲Traditional
7Strokes
歹Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 歼

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Podcast: 歼

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AI study notes for 歼

Quick Contrast

歼 (jiān) vs 消灭 (xiāomiè) — use 歼 for military contexts or total destruction, while 消灭 is broader and can apply to any form of eradication.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 歼 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. This term is more formal and often used in military or strategic discussions. Common collocations include 歼灭 (to annihilate) and 歼击机 (fighter plane).

HSK Study Tips

Although 歼 is not on the HSK list, it is useful to understand in the context of military terminology. Students should focus on related terms like 歼灭 and how they are used in sentences to enhance vocabulary related to conflict or defense.

Common Mistakes

Learners might mistakenly use 歼 in casual contexts where it's not appropriate, such as in everyday discussions about non-military topics. For example, saying '我想要歼这个问题' (I want to annihilate this issue) sounds overly aggressive; a more suitable verb would be 解决 (to solve).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 歼

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Etymology of 歼

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory hint

A thousand 千 corpses 歹; 千 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 歼?

Decomposition of 歼

IDS Structure⿰歹千
歼Full character
=
歹dai3
left
千qian1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 歼?

How to say to annihilate, to kill off, to wipe out in Chinese

“to annihilate, to kill off, to wipe out” in Chinese is歼jiān

The character 歼 (jiān) means to annihilate or wipe out, often used in military contexts. It is commonly associated with the destruction of enemies or threats, such as in the term for 'fighter plane' (歼击机), which refers to aircraft designed for air combat.

When to use 歼

Be cautious not to confuse 歼 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. This term is more formal and often used in military or strategic discussions. Common collocations include 歼灭 (to annihilate) and 歼击机 (fighter plane).

歼 or something close to it

歼 (jiān) vs 消灭 (xiāomiè) — use 歼 for military contexts or total destruction, while 消灭 is broader and can apply to any form of eradication.

What learners get wrong

Learners might mistakenly use 歼 in casual contexts where it's not appropriate, such as in everyday discussions about non-military topics. For example, saying '我想要歼这个问题' (I want to annihilate this issue) sounds overly aggressive; a more suitable verb would be 解决 (to solve).

Write 歼

歼

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

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Grammar patterns of 歼

歼 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

在以后的三个月中,我们____灭了大约二十五个旅.

We destroyed about 25 brigades in the next three months.

Example sentences for 歼 (1)

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1
在以后的三个月中,我们歼灭了大约二十五个旅.

zài yǐhòu de sāngè yuè zhōng, wǒmen jiānmiè le dàyuē èr shí wǔ gè lǚ.

We destroyed about 25 brigades in the next three months.

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Word Family of 歼

Words containing this character7
歼灭jiānmièto wipe out殲滅
歼jiānto annihilate殲
全歼to annihilate全殲
歼击机fighter plane殲擊機
歼击to annihilate殲擊
追歼to wipe out追殲
聚歼to annihilate聚殲
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 歼

What does 歼灭 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 歼

While both can mean to kill, 歼 specifically implies a complete annihilation, often in a military sense, whereas 杀 is more general and can refer to killing in various contexts.

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