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March 24, 2026
剪jiǎn(jian3)
The character 剪 (jiǎn) primarily means 'to cut' and is often associated with using scissors or shears. It can be used in various contexts, such as trimming hair or paper, and carries the nuance of precision in cutting. Additionally, it can imply more drastic actions like exterminating or wiping out.
Strokes11Radical刀Frequency#2353DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, hair cutting has significant symbolism, often associated with rites of passage or personal transformation. Therefore, the act of 剪 can carry deeper meanings beyond just the physical act of cutting.
Memory Tip
Imagine a giant pair of scissors cutting through a thick rope. The character 剪 looks like a pair of scissors (the left part resembles the blades), and 'jian' sounds like 'jam'—think of jamming the blades together to cut something. Visualize this action to remember both the form and pronunciation.
Meanings of 剪
jiǎn(jian3)
1scissors
2shears
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 剪 means.
About 剪
剪Simplified
11Strokes
刀Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#2353Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 剪
Podcast: 剪
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AI Study Notes for 剪
Quick Contrast
剪 (jiǎn) vs 切 (qiē) — use 剪 for cutting with scissors or shears, while 切 refers to slicing or cutting with a knife.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 剪 with other cutting verbs like 切 (qiē), which is more general for cutting. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, so you can comfortably use it in everyday conversations. Be mindful of the tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to misunderstandings.
HSK Study Tips
While 剪 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it is useful for learners to connect it with other cutting-related words like 切 (qiē) and 割 (gē). Focus on practicing its use in sentences related to trimming or cutting tasks to solidify your understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 剪 with the character 切, mistakenly using 剪 when referring to cutting food. For example, saying '我想剪水果' (wǒ xiǎng jiǎn shuǐguǒ) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我想切水果' (wǒ xiǎng qiē shuǐguǒ).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 剪
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How Well Do You Know 剪?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 剪 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
剪 = 刀 + 前. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 剪
IDS Structure⿱前刀
剪Full Character
=
前qian2
top
刀Dao1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 剪?
How to say scissors in Chinese
“scissors” in Chinese is剪jiǎn
The character 剪 (jiǎn) primarily means 'to cut' and is often associated with using scissors or shears. It can be used in various contexts, such as trimming hair or paper, and carries the nuance of precision in cutting. Additionally, it can imply more drastic actions like exterminating or wiping out.
When to use 剪
Learners often confuse 剪 with other cutting verbs like 切 (qiē), which is more general for cutting. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, so you can comfortably use it in everyday conversations. Be mindful of the tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to misunderstandings.
剪 or something close to it
剪 (jiǎn) vs 切 (qiē) — use 剪 for cutting with scissors or shears, while 切 refers to slicing or cutting with a knife.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mix up 剪 with the character 切, mistakenly using 剪 when referring to cutting food. For example, saying '我想剪水果' (wǒ xiǎng jiǎn shuǐguǒ) is incorrect; the correct phrase would be '我想切水果' (wǒ xiǎng qiē shuǐguǒ).
Write 剪
剪
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Practice writing 剪 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 剪
剪 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 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
是…的 emphasis是 + [V] + 的
HSK 3
This pattern emphasizes the action of cutting, often specifying the object or time.
❝
这是我剪的头发。
Zhè shì wǒ jiǎn de tóufǎ.
This is the hair I cut.
Exercise 1 of 1
Build it
Put the words in order to say “This is the hair I cut.”.
Tap tokens to build the sentence
Common Confusions with 剪
剪vs减
jiǎn
Both characters are pronounced the same but have different meanings.
剪 refers to the action of cutting, while 剪刀 specifically means 'scissors'.
1
我需要剪刀来剪纸。
剪 refers to the action of cutting, while 剪刀 specifically means 'scissors'.
💡剪刀 has '刀' indicating a tool, while 剪 alone refers to the action.
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “scissors”?
or
Usage Notes for 剪
Common Confusion with 剪刀Common Error
Students often confuse 剪 with 剪刀, forgetting that 剪 is the action while 剪刀 is the noun.
1
我用剪刀剪纸。
I use scissors to cut paper.
Exercise 1 of 1
Get it right
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
我用____刀剪纸。
I use scissors to cut paper.
Example Sentences for 剪 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
把你的眉毛修剪成越往外眼角越细的月牙形。
bǎ nǐ de méi máo xiū jiǎn chéng yuè wǎng wài yǎn jiǎo yuè xì de yuè yá xíng。
Taper the shape of your eyebrows towards the outer corners.
