刀 meaning and stroke order
Knife; blade; single-edged sword; cutlass (CL:把[ba3]); (slang) (loanword) dollar; classifier for sets of one hundred sheets (of paper)
How to write 刀, stroke by stroke
2 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
Meaning of 刀
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- knife; blade; single-edged sword; cutlass (CL:把[ba3])
- (slang) (loanword) dollar
- classifier for sets of one hundred sheets (of paper)
- classifier for knife cuts or stabs
- (Internet slang) to bargain; to ask for a small discount (esp. on second-hand marketplaces)
- (Internet slang) to knife (sb) (often used hyperbolically, as in 想刀他[xiang3 dao1 ta1] "I could kill him!")
How 刀 is built
Components of the character.
How to remember 刀
刀 (dāo) looks like a simple blade: the hooked stroke is the edge and handle, and the slanting 丿 stroke is the cutting slice. Picture a kitchen knife leaning to one side, ready to chop.
刀 (dāo) means knife or blade and takes the measure word 把 (bǎ). It appears in many everyday words like 剪刀 (jiǎndāo, scissors) and 开刀 (kāidāo, to have an operation). Example: 这把刀很快。(Zhè bǎ dāo hěn kuài.) This knife is very sharp.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 刀 (dāo) with 力 (lì, strength). In 力 the slanting stroke crosses above the top line, while in 刀 it stays inside. Also note that inside other characters, 刀 often appears as the side form 刂, as in 刻 (kè) and 别 (bié).
Common words with 刀
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 剪刀 | jiǎndāo | scissors | HSK 5 |
| 刀子 | dāozi | knife | |
| 小刀 | xiǎodāo | knife | |
| 剃刀 | tìdāo | razor | |
| 开刀 | kāidāo | (of a surgeon) to perform an operation; (of a patient) to have an operation | |
| 刀片 | dāopiàn | blade; razor blade | |
| 刺刀 | cìdāo | bayonet | |
| 刀锋 | dāofēng | cutting edge or point of a knife, sword or tool | |
| 刀疤 | dāobā | scar from a knife wound | |
| 菜刀 | càidāo | vegetable knife; kitchen knife | |
| 刀刃 | dāorèn | knife blade; crucial point | |
| 刀剑 | dāojiàn | sword | |
| 镰刀 | liándāo | sickle | |
| 砍刀 | kǎndāo | machete |
刀 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 刀
Learning 刀 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 刀
How many strokes are in 刀?
刀 is written with 2 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 刀 mean?
刀 (dāo) means knife; blade; single-edged sword; cutlass (CL:把[ba3]); (slang) (loanword) dollar; classifier for sets of one hundred sheets (of paper). A common word with it is 剪刀 (jiǎndāo), meaning "scissors".
How do you pronounce 刀?
刀 is pronounced dāo, in the first tone (high and level).
Is 刀 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 刀 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 2.
Why does 快 (kuài) mean sharp when talking about a knife?
快 usually means fast, but with knives it means sharp, as in 刀很快 (dāo hěn kuài). The opposite is 钝 (dùn, dull).
What does 刀 mean in internet slang?
Online, 刀 can mean to bargain for a small discount, especially on second-hand shopping apps. It is also used jokingly to mean wanting to knife someone, as in 想刀他 (xiǎng dāo tā), meaning I could kill him, said in exaggeration.