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剞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
剞jīcarving or engraving; knife; gravex, 10 strokes, radical 刂
剞jīcurved wood graverunknown, 10 strokes, radical 刂
jī(ji1)ji T1
  1. 1carving or engraving; knife; grave
  2. 2curved wood graver
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March 24, 2026

剞jī(ji1)

The character 剞 (jī) refers to the act of carving or engraving, often with a knife or a specific tool. It can also describe objects related to carving, such as a grave marker or a curved wood graver used in woodworking. This term is often used in contexts involving craftsmanship or artistry.

Strokes10Radical刂
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese culture, carving is a revered art form, often seen in wood, jade, and stone. The skill of carving has historical significance, especially in creating intricate designs for religious and cultural artifacts.

Memory tip

Imagine a skilled artist using a knife to carve intricate designs into wood. The character 剞 resembles a knife (the left part) cutting into a block of wood (the right part), emphasizing the act of carving. Remember 'jī' as the sound of the knife slicing through the wood.

Meanings of 剞

jī(ji1)
1carving or engraving; knife; grave
2curved wood graver
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 剞

剞Simplified
10Strokes
刂Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 剞

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Podcast: 剞

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AI Study Notes for 剞

Usage Notes

This character is rarely used in everyday conversation, making it more common in formal or artistic contexts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters like 刺 (cì), which means 'to pierce.' When using 剞 in writing, ensure you are discussing themes related to craftsmanship or artistry.

HSK Study Tips

Though 剞 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects to higher-level vocabulary related to art and craftsmanship. Students should focus on recognizing its use in specialized texts and understanding its radicals, which can help with memorization.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 剞 (jī) with 刻 (kè), which also relates to carving but has a broader meaning. Remember that 剞 specifically refers to a type of carving done with a knife.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 剞

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Etymology of 剞

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

knife

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

Origin

剞 = 刂 + 奇. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 剞

IDS Structure⿰奇刂
剞Full character
=
奇ji1
left
刂dao1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 剞?

How to say carving or engraving; knife; grave in Chinese

“carving or engraving; knife; grave” in Chinese is剞jī

The character 剞 (jī) refers to the act of carving or engraving, often with a knife or a specific tool. It can also describe objects related to carving, such as a grave marker or a curved wood graver used in woodworking. This term is often used in contexts involving craftsmanship or artistry.

When to use 剞

This character is rarely used in everyday conversation, making it more common in formal or artistic contexts. Be careful not to confuse it with similar characters like 刺 (cì), which means 'to pierce.' When using 剞 in writing, ensure you are discussing themes related to craftsmanship or artistry.

What learners get wrong

Learners might confuse 剞 (jī) with 刻 (kè), which also relates to carving but has a broader meaning. Remember that 剞 specifically refers to a type of carving done with a knife.

Write 剞

剞

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

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Word Family of 剞

Words containing this character1
剞jīcurved wood graver

Frequently Asked Questions about 剞

You might encounter words like 雕刻 (diāokè), meaning 'to carve,' which is more commonly used in everyday language.

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