切 meaning and stroke order
To cut; to slice; to carve; (math.) tangential
How to write 切, stroke by stroke
4 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
- 3
- 4
Meaning of 切
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to cut; to slice; to carve
- (math.) tangential
- definitely; absolutely (not)
- (scoffing or dismissive interjection) Yeah, right.; Tut!
- to grind
- (bound form) close to
- (bound form) eager
- to correspond to
How 切 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Knife.
刀 gives the meaning and 七 hints at the sound.
Radical: 刀 (knife), shared by 10 characters on this site.
How to remember 切
切 is pictophonetic: 刀 (dāo, knife) on the right gives the meaning, and 七 (qī) on the left hints at the sound. Picture a knife making seven quick cuts to slice something up.
Read qiē, it is the everyday verb for cutting food or cutting something off, as in 切断 (qiēduàn, to cut off). Read qiè, it appears in many abstract words like 一切 (yīqiè, everything), 亲切 (qīnqiè, cordial) and 密切 (mìqiè, close). Example: 请把苹果切成小块。(Qǐng bǎ píngguǒ qiē chéng xiǎo kuài.) Please cut the apple into small pieces.
Common mistake: Learners often say 一切 as yīqiē with a first tone, but it is yīqiè with a fourth tone, and 一 changes to yí before it in speech: yíqiè. Also, the left part is 七 (seven), so do not write it as 土 or 匕.
Common words with 切
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 一切 | yīqiè | everything; every | HSK 3 |
| 亲切 | qīnqiè | amiable; cordial | HSK 3 |
| 密切 | mìqiè | close; intimate; to strengthen (ties, cooperation etc) | HSK 4 |
| 迫切 | pòqiè | urgent; pressing | HSK 4 |
| 切实 | qièshí | feasible; realistic | HSK 6 |
| 切断 | qiēduàn | to cut off; to sever | HSK 7-9 |
| 确切 | quèqiè | definite; exact | HSK 7-9 |
| 切除 | qiēchú | to excise; to cut out (a tumor) | HSK 7-9 |
| 切割 | qiēgē | to cut | HSK 7-9 |
| 深切 | shēnqiè | deeply felt; heartfelt | HSK 7-9 |
| 贴切 | tiēqiè | close-fitting; closest (translation) | HSK 7-9 |
| 切身 | qièshēn | direct; concerning oneself | HSK 7-9 |
| 切换 | qiēhuàn | to switch over; to switch modes or data streams | |
| 不顾一切 | bùgùyīqiè | (idiom) to disregard all negative considerations; to cast aside all concerns |
切 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Characters that contain 切
Learning 切 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 切
How many strokes are in 切?
切 is written with 4 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 切 mean?
切 (qiē) means to cut; to slice; to carve; (math.) tangential. A common word with it is 一切 (yīqiè), meaning "everything; every".
How do you pronounce 切?
切 has more than one reading: qiē and qiè. The most common is qiē, said in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 切?
The radical of 切 is 刀, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 切 under this radical.
Is 切 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 切 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 3.
How do I know whether to read 切 as qiē or qiè?
Use qiē when it means physically cutting, slicing or carving, as in 切菜 (qiē cài, to chop vegetables). Use qiè for the abstract senses like close, eager or definitely, as in 迫切 (pòqiè, urgent) and 确切 (quèqiè, exact).
What does 切 mean when people say it alone in conversation?
Said on its own as qiè, it is a dismissive interjection, a bit like Yeah, right or Tut in English. It shows the speaker does not believe or care about what was just said, so it can sound rude.