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雕刻 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
雕刻diāokèto carveHSK 7, n, 24 strokes, rank #13313, Very Hard
雕刻diāokèto engraveHSK 7, n, 24 strokes, rank #13313, Very Hard
雕刻diāokècarvingHSK 7, n, 24 strokes, rank #13313, Very Hard
diāokè(diao1ke4)diao ke T1
  1. 1to carve
  2. 2to engrave
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March 24, 2026

雕刻diāokè(diao1ke4)

雕刻 (diāokè) refers to the art of carving or engraving materials such as wood, stone, or metal. Commonly used in the context of artistic expressions and crafts, it signifies both the process and the final artwork. In a broader sense, it can also imply the meticulousness and skill involved in creating detailed forms.

Strokes24Frequency#13313DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

雕刻 holds significant cultural value in China, where traditional carving techniques have been used for centuries to create intricate wood and stone sculptures, often found in temples and historical sites. This art form is celebrated during festivals and is a key aspect of Chinese craftsmanship.

Memory tip

Imagine a sculptor carving a statue from a block of stone. The character 雕 combines the radical for 'bird' (鳥), symbolizing creativity and freedom, with a component resembling a 'tool' (刀) used for carving, reminding you that skilled hands create beauty from raw materials.

Meanings of 雕刻

diāokè(diao1ke4)
1to carve
2to engrave
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 雕刻

雕刻Simplified
24Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#13313Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 雕刻

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Podcast: 雕刻

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AI study notes for 雕刻

Quick Contrast

雕塑 (diāosù) refers specifically to sculpture, which is a three-dimensional form of art, while 雕刻 (diāokè) encompasses both carving processes and the resulting artwork, including two-dimensional engravings.

Usage Notes

Be careful with the tone when pronouncing 雕刻; incorrect tones can lead to misunderstandings. It's commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, but when discussing art, '雕塑' (diāosù) may be more appropriate for sculptures. Common collocations include '雕刻艺术' (sculptural art) and '雕刻师' (carver).

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 雕刻 connects with other artistic terms you may encounter, such as 画画 (huàhuà, to paint) and 雕塑 (diāosù, sculpture). Focus on its application in art discussions as well as its various forms and uses in sentences.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 雕刻 with 刻 (kè), which means 'to engrave' without the artistic connotation. A wrong example would be using '我喜欢刻木头' (Wǒ xǐhuān kè mùtóu), which implies a lack of artistic intent; the correct phrase would be '我喜欢雕刻木头' (Wǒ xǐhuān diāokè mùtóu).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 雕刻

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Component characters

雕diāobird of prey
HSK 716 strokes隹
View full entry
刻kèquarter (hour)
HSK 38 strokes刂
View full entry

How to say to carve in Chinese

“to carve” in Chinese is雕刻diāokè

雕刻 (diāokè) refers to the art of carving or engraving materials such as wood, stone, or metal. Commonly used in the context of artistic expressions and crafts, it signifies both the process and the final artwork. In a broader sense, it can also imply the meticulousness and skill involved in creating detailed forms.

When to use 雕刻

Be careful with the tone when pronouncing 雕刻; incorrect tones can lead to misunderstandings. It's commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, but when discussing art, '雕塑' (diāosù) may be more appropriate for sculptures. Common collocations include '雕刻艺术' (sculptural art) and '雕刻师' (carver).

雕刻 or something close to it

雕塑 (diāosù) refers specifically to sculpture, which is a three-dimensional form of art, while 雕刻 (diāokè) encompasses both carving processes and the resulting artwork, including two-dimensional engravings.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 雕刻 with 刻 (kè), which means 'to engrave' without the artistic connotation. A wrong example would be using '我喜欢刻木头' (Wǒ xǐhuān kè mùtóu), which implies a lack of artistic intent; the correct phrase would be '我喜欢雕刻木头' (Wǒ xǐhuān diāokè mùtóu).

Write 雕刻

雕
刻

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Grammar patterns of 雕刻

雕刻 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 3 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

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他们最终来到一扇____精美的对开门前。

Eventually they reached a pair of ornately carved doors.

Example sentences for 雕刻 (8)

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1
他们最终来到一扇雕刻精美的对开门前。

tāmen zuìzhōng láidào yī shān diāokè jīngměi de duì kāimén qián。

Eventually they reached a pair of ornately carved doors.
2
安东尼奥手持菜刀, 开始雕刻这块黄油.

Ān dōng ní ào shǒu chí cài dāo, kāishǐ diāokè zhè kuài huáng yóu.

With a kitchen knife in his hand, Antonio began to cut and carve this butter.
3
最著名的艺术家之一是英国的雕刻师格林林·吉本斯.

zuì zhùmíng de yìshù jiā zhīyī shì Yīng guó de diāokè Shī gé lín lín· jí běn Sī.

One of the most famous artists was the English carver Grinling Gibbons.
4
通常所采用的几种储存方法是:影印法 、 照相蚀刻 、 机械雕刻和模板.

tōngcháng suǒ cǎiyòng de jǐ zhǒng chǔcún fāngfǎ shì: yǐng yìn fǎ、 zhàoxiàng shí kè、 jīxiè diāokè hé mó bǎn.

Serveral of commonly used methods are photoprinting, photoengraving , mechnical engraving, and stencil.
5
他的脸,好象墨西哥印第安人(阿兹台克人)雕刻家试着刻出来的塞巴斯蒂安的雕像.

tā de liǎn, hǎo xiàng mò xī gē yìn dì Ān rén( Ā zī tái kè rén) diāokè jiā shì zhe kè chūlái de sāi Bā Sī dì Ān de diāoxiàng.

He has the face as though an Aztec sculptor had attempted a portrait of Seba stian.
6
雕刻是模仿的艺术(模刻真实生活中的人 、 物等).

diāokè shì mófǎng de yìshù( mó kè zhēnshí shēnghuó zhōng de rén、 wù děng).

Sculpture is an imitative art, ie it copies people, things, etc from real life.
7
锤子头是纯银制成的,雕刻着神圣符文,而握柄则被精心地包裹在蓝色的皮革中。

chuízi tóu shì chún yín zhìchéng de, diāokè zhe shénshèng fú wén, ér wò bǐng zé bèi jīngxīn dì bāoguǒ zài lánsè de pígé zhōng。

The hammer's silvery head was etched with holy runs and its haft was meticulously wrapped in blue leather.
8
雕刻家用大理石、铜或粘土来制作雕像.

diāokè jiāyòng dà lǐ dàn、 tóng huò nián tǔ lái zhìzuò diāoxiàng.

Sculptors make statues of marble and bronze or models in clay.

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Frequently asked questions about 雕刻

You can use various materials such as wood, stone, jade, and metal for carving.

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