Buddhist monastery, temple or shrine (abbr. for 剎多羅, Sanskrit ksetra)
t, 8 strokes, radical 刂, rank #16362, Very Hard
刹
chà
to brake
t, 8 strokes, radical 刂, rank #16362, Very Hard
刹
chà
temple, shrine, monastary; an instant, a moment; to brake
t, 8 strokes, radical 刂, rank #16362, Very Hard
刹
shā
Buddhist monastery, temple or shrine (abbr. for 剎多羅, Sanskrit ksetra)
t, 8 strokes, radical 刂, rank #16362, Very Hard
刹
shā
to brake
t, 8 strokes, radical 刂, rank #16362, Very Hard
刹
shā
temple, shrine, monastary; an instant, a moment; to brake
t, 8 strokes, radical 刂, rank #16362, Very Hard
chà(cha4)
primary
T4
1Buddhist monastery, temple or shrine (abbr. for 剎多羅, Sanskrit ksetra)
2to brake
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March 24, 2026
刹(剎)chà(cha4)
The character 刹 (chà) primarily means 'to brake' or 'to stop'. It is also used to refer to a Buddhist monastery, temple, or shrine, often as an abbreviation for 剎多羅 (ksetra in Sanskrit). In both contexts, it conveys a sense of halting motion or a sacred space.
Strokes8Radical刂Frequency#16362DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, temples play a significant role in spiritual life, and 刹 is often used in Buddhist contexts. Visiting a 刹 is common for those seeking peace, reflection, or spiritual growth.
Memory Tip
Imagine a car that suddenly stops (brakes) at a beautiful temple (monastery). The character 刹 looks like a combination of a 'car' (the horizontal lines) and a 'temple' (the vertical strokes representing structure). Visualize the car halting at the temple to remember its meanings.
Meanings of 刹
chà(cha4)
primary
1Buddhist monastery, temple or shrine (abbr. for 剎多羅, Sanskrit ksetra)
2to brake
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 刹
刹Simplified
剎Traditional
8Strokes
刂Radical
时间词time word (t.)Part of Speech
#16362Frequency Rank
Podcast: 刹
Podcast: 刹
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AI Study Notes for 刹
Usage Notes
In everyday conversation, the context usually clarifies whether 刹 refers to braking or a religious site. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding characters, such as 查 (chá, to check). Pay attention to the tone and context to avoid misunderstandings.
HSK Study Tips
While 刹 is not an HSK word, it connects to related vocabulary in HSK levels such as 寺 (sì, temple) and 停 (tíng, to stop). Students should focus on recognizing it in context, especially in texts about Buddhism or automotive discussions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 刹 with other similar-sounding characters. For example, saying '我查车' (Wǒ chá chē) instead of '我刹车' (Wǒ shāchē) can lead to confusion, as the former means 'I check the car' rather than 'I brake'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 刹
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Phonosemantic compound. 刂 represents the meaning and 杀 represents the sound. Simplified form of 剎.
1The meaning half刂 carries the sense.
2The sound half杀 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayknife
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 刹? 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 刹?
Decomposition of 刹
IDS Structure⿰杀刂
刹Full Character
=
杀sha1
left
刂dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 刹?
How to say Buddhist monastery, temple or shrine (abbr. for 剎多羅, Sanskrit ksetra) in Chinese
“Buddhist monastery, temple or shrine (abbr. for 剎多羅, Sanskrit ksetra)” in Chinese is刹chà
The character 刹 (chà) primarily means 'to brake' or 'to stop'. It is also used to refer to a Buddhist monastery, temple, or shrine, often as an abbreviation for 剎多羅 (ksetra in Sanskrit). In both contexts, it conveys a sense of halting motion or a sacred space.
When to use 刹
In everyday conversation, the context usually clarifies whether 刹 refers to braking or a religious site. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding characters, such as 查 (chá, to check). Pay attention to the tone and context to avoid misunderstandings.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 刹 with other similar-sounding characters. For example, saying '我查车' (Wǒ chá chē) instead of '我刹车' (Wǒ shāchē) can lead to confusion, as the former means 'I check the car' rather than 'I brake'.
Write 刹
刹
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Practice writing 刹 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 刹
刹 carries 3 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
