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銳 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
銳ruìsharp, pointed; keen, acutex, 15 strokes, radical 釒
ruì(rui4)rui T4
  1. 1sharp, pointed; keen, acute
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March 24, 2026

銳ruì(rui4)

The character 銳 (ruì) means sharp or pointed, often referring to objects like knives or tools. It can also describe qualities such as keen intellect or acute senses. In various contexts, it can convey both physical sharpness and metaphorical sharpness, such as a sharp mind.

Strokes15Radical釒
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, sharp tools are often associated with precision and skill, making 銳 a symbol of high craftsmanship. The concept of sharpness is also prevalent in traditional Chinese medicine, where sharp senses are valued for diagnosing health issues.

Memory tip

Think of 銳 as a 'sharp' knife cutting through air. The metal radical (金) hints at its connection to sharp tools, while the character's form looks like a blade slicing. Remember 'ruì' sounds like 'ray' – imagine a sharp ray of light piercing through darkness.

Meanings of 銳

ruì(rui4)
1sharp, pointed; keen, acute
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 銳

銳Simplified
15Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 銳

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AI study notes for 銳

Quick Contrast

鋒 (fēng) - use 銳 (ruì) for describing sharpness in a general or metaphorical sense, while 鋒 (fēng) specifically refers to the sharp edge or point of a blade.

Usage Notes

Be mindful not to confuse 銳 with similar-sounding characters. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, often in discussions of intellect or physical objects. Common collocations include 銳利 (ruìlì) meaning 'sharp' or 'keen'.

HSK Study Tips

While 銳 is not in the HSK levels, it connects well with vocabulary around sharpness and clarity, such as 明 (míng, clear) or 敏 (mǐn, quick). Focus on using it in sentences to describe both physical objects and abstract concepts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 銳 (sharp) with 鋭 (also sharp) due to similar pronunciation. Ensure you remember that 銳 specifically emphasizes sharpness in a more nuanced way, while 鋭 may focus more on the intellectual aspect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 銳

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Etymology of 銳

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 兑 represents the sound. Simplified form of 銳.

Memory hint

metal

Semantic (meaning)釒
+
Phonetic (sound)兌
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

銳 = 釒 + 兌. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 銳

IDS Structure⿰釒兌
銳Full character
=
釒jin1
left
兌dui4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 銳?

How to say sharp, pointed; keen, acute in Chinese

“sharp, pointed; keen, acute” in Chinese is銳ruì

The character 銳 (ruì) means sharp or pointed, often referring to objects like knives or tools. It can also describe qualities such as keen intellect or acute senses. In various contexts, it can convey both physical sharpness and metaphorical sharpness, such as a sharp mind.

When to use 銳

Be mindful not to confuse 銳 with similar-sounding characters. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, often in discussions of intellect or physical objects. Common collocations include 銳利 (ruìlì) meaning 'sharp' or 'keen'.

銳 or something close to it

鋒 (fēng) - use 銳 (ruì) for describing sharpness in a general or metaphorical sense, while 鋒 (fēng) specifically refers to the sharp edge or point of a blade.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 銳 (sharp) with 鋭 (also sharp) due to similar pronunciation. Ensure you remember that 銳 specifically emphasizes sharpness in a more nuanced way, while 鋭 may focus more on the intellectual aspect.

Write 銳

銳

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

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Word Family of 銳

Words containing this character16
敏锐mǐnruìkeen敏銳
尖锐jiānruìsharp尖銳
锐ruìacute銳
锐利ruìlìsharp銳利
精锐jīngruìcrack精銳
锐气ruìqìdash銳氣
锐减ruìjiǎnsteep decline銳減
养精蓄锐yǎngjīngxùruìto preserve and nurture one's spirit (idiom); honing one's strength for the big push養精蓄銳
锐志ruìzhìfirm determination銳志
锐意ruìyìdauntless銳意
锐角ruìjiǎoacute angle銳角
新锐xīnruìnew and dashing新銳
锐不可当ruìbùkědāngunstoppable銳不可當
尖锐化jiānruìhuàto intensify尖銳化
杨锐yángruìYang Rui (1963-), host of "Dialogue" on CCTV News楊銳
锐敏ruìmǐnacute銳敏
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 銳

What does 敏锐 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 銳

You can say 銳利的刀 (ruìlì de dāo), meaning 'a sharp knife'.

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