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翦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
翦jiǎnsurname Jianunknown, 15 strokes, radical 羽
翦jiǎnscissors; to cut, to clip; to annihilatenr, 15 strokes, radical 羽
jiǎn(Jian3) T3
  1. 1surname Jian
  2. 2scissors; to cut, to clip; to annihilate
Also a Chinese surname, Jian — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

翦jiǎn(Jian3)

The character 翦 (jiǎn) primarily means 'scissors' or 'to cut, clip, or trim.' It is often used in contexts involving cutting materials, such as paper or fabric, and can also imply a more metaphorical sense of annihilation or destruction. The character can also serve as a surname, Jian, in Chinese culture.

Strokes15Radical羽
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of cutting or trimming is often metaphorically linked to the idea of balance and harmony, reflecting how one must 'cut away' excess to achieve wellness.

Memory Tip

Imagine a pair of scissors (the shape of 翦 resembles two blades) snipping through a paper. The two blades cutting represent the pronunciation 'jiǎn,' linking the sound to the action of cutting. Visualize the scissors trimming a garden, symbolizing control and precision.

Meanings of 翦

jiǎn(Jian3)
1scissors; to cut, to clip; to annihilate
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 翦

翦Simplified
15Strokes
羽Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 翦

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Podcast: 翦

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 翦

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 翦 with 剪 (jiǎn), which also means 'to cut' but is more commonly used for scissors in daily conversation. It's important to use 翦 in more formal or literary contexts. Be careful with tones, as mispronouncing 'jiǎn' with a different tone can change the word's meaning entirely.

HSK Study Tips

Though 翦 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of words related to cutting and destruction. Students at this level should focus on recognizing its use in literary texts and differentiating it from similar characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 翦 with 剪 and use them interchangeably, as in '我用翦剪纸' (I use scissors to cut paper), which should be '我用剪剪纸.' Additionally, forgetting the correct tone can lead to misunderstandings.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 翦

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Etymology of 翦

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

feather

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 翦

  1. 1The meaning half羽 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half前 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayfeather
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 翦? 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 翦?

Decomposition of 翦

IDS Structure⿱前羽
翦Full Character
=
前qian2
top
羽yu3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 翦?

How to say surname Jian in Chinese

“surname Jian” in Chinese is翦jiǎn

The character 翦 (jiǎn) primarily means 'scissors' or 'to cut, clip, or trim.' It is often used in contexts involving cutting materials, such as paper or fabric, and can also imply a more metaphorical sense of annihilation or destruction. The character can also serve as a surname, Jian, in Chinese culture.

When to use 翦

Learners often confuse 翦 with 剪 (jiǎn), which also means 'to cut' but is more commonly used for scissors in daily conversation. It's important to use 翦 in more formal or literary contexts. Be careful with tones, as mispronouncing 'jiǎn' with a different tone can change the word's meaning entirely.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 翦 with 剪 and use them interchangeably, as in '我用翦剪纸' (I use scissors to cut paper), which should be '我用剪剪纸.' Additionally, forgetting the correct tone can lead to misunderstandings.

Write 翦

翦

Practice writing 翦 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 翦

Words Containing This Character1
翦jiǎnsurname Jian
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 翦 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 翦

No, 翦 is typically used in more formal or literary contexts compared to 剪.

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