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錐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
錐zhuīgimlet, drill, awl; to drill, to borex, 16 strokes, radical 釒
zhuī(zhui1) T1
  1. 1gimlet, drill, awl; to drill, to bore
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

錐zhuī(zhui1)

The character 錐 (zhuī) refers to a pointed tool used for drilling or boring holes, such as a gimlet or an awl. It can also be used as a verb, meaning to drill or bore into something. This term is commonly used in woodworking and metalworking contexts where precision drilling is required.

Strokes16Radical釒
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese craftsmanship, precision tools like the 錐 are essential for creating intricate woodwork and metal pieces, showcasing the importance of skilled labor in Chinese culture. The use of such tools reflects a long-standing respect for craftsmanship and detail in artisanal work.

Memory Tip

Imagine a sharp, pointed drill that looks like a needle (the radical 钅, meaning metal, also hints at its usage with tools). Visualize this drill piercing through wood, making 'zhuī' sounds as it goes - like the 'z' in 'zoom' because it drills quickly!

Meanings of 錐

zhuī(zhui1)
1gimlet, drill, awl; to drill, to bore
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 錐

錐Simplified
16Strokes
釒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 錐

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Podcast: 錐

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AI Study Notes for 錐

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 錐 (zhuī) with similar-sounding words such as 追 (zhuī), which means to chase. 錐 is more formal and technical, so it is typically used in contexts related to craftsmanship or engineering. Common collocations include 錐子 (zhuīzi, meaning 'awl') and 钻孔 (zuànkǒng, meaning 'to drill a hole').

HSK Study Tips

Although 錐 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to themes of tools and precision found in HSK Level 3 terms. Students should focus on the radicals and components of the character to understand its meaning better, as well as practice using it in sentences about construction or crafting.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 錐 (zhuī) with 追 (zhuī), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying 'I want to chase a hole' instead of 'I want to drill a hole.' Always remember that 錐 is about drilling, not chasing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 錐

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Etymology of 錐

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

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 隹 represents the sound. Simplified form of 錐.

Memory Hint

metal

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 錐

Phonosemantic compound. 钅 represents the meaning and 隹 represents the sound. Simplified form of 錐.

  1. 1The meaning half釒 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half隹 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymetal
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 錐? 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 錐?

Decomposition of 錐

IDS Structure⿰釒隹
錐Full Character
=
釒jin1
left
隹zhui1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 錐?

How to say gimlet, drill, awl; to drill, to bore in Chinese

“gimlet, drill, awl; to drill, to bore” in Chinese is錐zhuī

The character 錐 (zhuī) refers to a pointed tool used for drilling or boring holes, such as a gimlet or an awl. It can also be used as a verb, meaning to drill or bore into something. This term is commonly used in woodworking and metalworking contexts where precision drilling is required.

When to use 錐

Be careful not to confuse 錐 (zhuī) with similar-sounding words such as 追 (zhuī), which means to chase. 錐 is more formal and technical, so it is typically used in contexts related to craftsmanship or engineering. Common collocations include 錐子 (zhuīzi, meaning 'awl') and 钻孔 (zuànkǒng, meaning 'to drill a hole').

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 錐 (zhuī) with 追 (zhuī), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. For example, saying 'I want to chase a hole' instead of 'I want to drill a hole.' Always remember that 錐 is about drilling, not chasing.

Write 錐

錐

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 錐

Words Containing This Character14
锥zhuīcone錐
锥形conical錐形
圆锥cone圓錐
锥子awl錐子
改锥screwdriver改錐
锥形瓶Erlenmeyer flask錐形瓶
锥面cone錐面
圆锥曲线conic section圓錐曲線
棱锥pyramid (geometry)稜錐
圆锥体cone圓錐體
角锥pyramid角錐
毛锥writing brush (old)毛錐
贫无立锥之地not even enough land to stand an awl (idiom); absolutely destitute貧無立錐之地
贫无立锥not even enough land to stand an awl (idiom); absolutely destitute貧無立錐
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 锥 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 錐

錐 (zhuī) refers specifically to a pointed tool like an awl, while 钻 (zuàn) generally means to drill, often with a drill bit.

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