刽 meaning and stroke order
To amputate, to cut off
How to write 刽, 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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- 8
Meaning of 刽
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to amputate
- to cut off
- also pr. [kuai4]
How 刽 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Knife.
刂 gives the meaning and 会 hints at the sound.
Radical: 刂 (knife), shared by 71 characters on this site.
How to remember 刽
刽 is pictophonetic: 会 (huì) on the left hints at the sound, and the knife radical 刂 on the right gives the meaning. Picture a knife that cuts something off.
Today 刽 almost only appears in the word 刽子手 (guìzishǒu), executioner, which is also used figuratively for a brutal killer or someone who destroys something. Example: 他被称为历史的刽子手。(Tā bèi chēngwéi lìshǐ de guìzishǒu.) He was called an executioner of history.
Common mistake: Learners often read 刽 as huì because of the phonetic part 会, but the standard reading is guì, fourth tone. Also do not confuse it with 剑 (jiàn, sword), which has a different left side.
Common words with 刽
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 刽子手 | guìzishǒu | executioner; headsman |
Questions about 刽
How many strokes are in 刽?
刽 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 刽 mean?
刽 (guì) means to amputate, to cut off. A common word with it is 刽子手 (guìzishǒu), meaning "executioner; headsman".
How do you pronounce 刽?
刽 is pronounced guì, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 刽?
The radical of 刽 is 刂, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 刽 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 刽?
The traditional form of 刽 is 劊. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 刽 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why does the dictionary say 刽 is also pronounced kuài?
The data notes an alternative reading kuài in fourth tone. You may hear it from some speakers, but guì is the standard pronunciation taught today, especially in 刽子手.
Can I use 刽 by itself in a sentence?
Not really. In modern Chinese it is almost never used alone. Learn it as part of 刽子手 and you will cover nearly every case you will meet.