刺 meaning and stroke order
Thorn; sting; thrust
How to write 刺, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 刺
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- thorn
- sting
- thrust
- to prick
- to pierce
- to stab
- (onom.) whoosh
How 刺 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Knife.
刂 gives the meaning and 朿 hints at the sound.
Radical: 刂 (knife), shared by 71 characters on this site.
How to remember 刺
The left part 朿 (cì) gives the sound, and the right part 刂 is the knife radical. Picture a sharp knife 刂 next to a pointed shape, and you get the idea of something that pricks or stabs.
刺 means to pierce or prick, and as a noun it means a thorn or splinter. It often appears in words about sharp feelings, like 刺耳 (cì'ěr, ear-piercing) and 刺激 (cìjī, to stimulate or excite). Example: 这个电影很刺激。(Zhège diànyǐng hěn cìjī.) This movie is really exciting.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 刺 with 剌 (là), which has 束 on the left instead of 朿. Look closely: 朿 has no box in the middle, while 束 does.
Common words with 刺
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 刺激 | cìjī | to provoke; to irritate; to upset; to stimulate; to excite; irritant | HSK 4 |
| 讽刺 | fěngcì | to satirize; to mock | HSK 7-9 |
| 冲刺 | chōngcì | (sports) to sprint; to spurt; to dash; to put in a big effort to achieve a goal as the dea | HSK 7-9 |
| 刺耳 | cì'ěr | ear-piercing | HSK 7-9 |
| 刺绣 | cìxiù | to embroider; embroidery | HSK 7-9 |
| 刺骨 | cìgǔ | piercing; cutting | HSK 7-9 |
| 刺杀 | cìshā | to assassinate; (military) to fight with a bayonet | |
| 刺客 | cìkè | assassin | |
| 刺青 | cìqīng | to tattoo; a tattoo | |
| 刺伤 | cìshāng | to stab | |
| 刺穿 | cìchuān | to skewer; to impale | |
| 刺痛 | cìtòng | to tingle; to sting; to have a sudden sharp pain; (fig.) to hurt deeply; tingle; prick; st | |
| 刺刀 | cìdāo | bayonet | |
| 遇刺 | yùcì | to be attacked by an assassin |
刺 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 刺
How many strokes are in 刺?
刺 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 刺 mean?
刺 (cì) means thorn; sting; thrust. A common word with it is 刺激 (cìjī), meaning "to provoke; to irritate; to upset; to stimulate; to excite; irritant".
How do you pronounce 刺?
刺 is pronounced cì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 刺?
The radical of 刺 is 刂, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 刺 under this radical.
Is 刺 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 刺 is part of the HSK 4 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
Does 刺激 always mean something bad?
No. 刺激 can mean to irritate or upset someone, but in everyday speech it often means thrilling or exciting. For example, a roller coaster can be called 很刺激.
How do you say there is a thorn or splinter in my finger?
You can say 我手上扎了一根刺。(Wǒ shǒu shang zhā le yì gēn cì.) Here 刺 is a noun meaning splinter or thorn, and the measure word is 根 (gēn).