Meanings of 歼
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About 歼
Podcast: 歼
Podcast: 歼
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AI Study Notes for 歼
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.
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).
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.
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).
Pronunciation of 歼
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Etymology of 歼
A thousand 千 corpses 歹; 千 also provides the pronunciation
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 歼
- 1The giveawayA thousand 千 corpses 歹; 千 also provides the pronunciation
- 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 歼? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 歼
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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
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
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Practice writing 歼 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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.
Complete the Sentence
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)
Word Family of 歼
Compound Meaning
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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