剋 meaning and stroke order
To subdue, to restrain, to overcome; used in transliterations
How to write 剋, stroke by stroke
9 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 剋
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to scold
- to beat
How 剋 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A weapon 刂 used to subdue 十 a beast 兄.
Radical: 刂 (knife), shared by 71 characters on this site.
How to remember 剋
剋 joins 克 (kè, to overcome) with the knife radical 刂. Picture someone overcoming a beast with a blade, and you have the meaning to subdue or restrain.
In mainland simplified Chinese, 剋 in the sense of subduing is usually written 克, as in 克星 (kèxīng, nemesis). In everyday speech the colloquial reading kēi means to scold or beat someone. Example: 他又被老板剋了一顿。(Tā yòu bèi lǎobǎn kēi le yí dùn.) He got chewed out by the boss again.
Common mistake: Learners often use 剋 where standard simplified text expects 克, for example writing 剋服 instead of 克服 (kèfú, to overcome). Also remember the kēi reading for scolding is first tone, not fourth.
Common words with 剋
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 剋星 | kèxīng | nemesis; bane |
Questions about 剋
How many strokes are in 剋?
剋 is written with 9 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 剋 mean?
剋 (kè) means to subdue, to restrain, to overcome; used in transliterations. A common word with it is 克星 (kèxīng), meaning "nemesis; bane".
How do you pronounce 剋?
剋 is pronounced kè, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 剋?
The radical of 剋 is 刂, which carries the idea of "knife". Dictionaries list 剋 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 剋?
剋 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 克, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 剋 and 克?
Both share the sense of overcoming or restraining, and 克 is the standard simplified form for most of those words. 剋 keeps the knife radical and appears mainly in traditional texts and in the colloquial kēi meaning to scold or beat.
How is 剋 used in phrases about scolding?
It often follows a passive or measure pattern, such as 挨剋 (ái kēi, to get scolded) or 剋了一顿 (kēi le yí dùn, gave a good telling off). This usage is informal and common in northern speech.