夾 meaning and stroke order
To support; to be wedged between
How to write 夾, stroke by stroke
7 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 夾
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to press from either side
- to place in between
- to sandwich
- to carry sth under armpit
- wedged between
- between
- double-layered (quilt); lined (garment)
- used in 夾肢窩|夹肢窝[ga1 zhi5 wo1]
How 夾 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Two people 从 supporting someone 大 from either side.
Radical: 大 (big), shared by 46 characters on this site.
How to remember 夾
夾 shows a big person 大 in the middle with two small people 从 on either side, holding them up. Picture someone squeezed or supported between two friends, and you have the idea of pressing from both sides.
夾 (jiā) is used for squeezing something between two things, like picking food up with chopsticks or tucking something under your arm. It also appears in nouns for clips and holders, such as 夾子 (jiāzi) clip and 皮夾 (píjiā) wallet. Example: 他用筷子夾菜。(Tā yòng kuàizi jiā cài.) He picks up food with chopsticks.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 夾 with 來 (lái, to come), since both have a cross shape with small figures on the sides. In 夾 the side figures are 人 shapes tucked under the arms of 大, while 來 is built around 木.
Common words with 夾
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 夾克 | jiākè | (loanword) jacket; also pr. [jia2 ke4] | |
| 皮夾 | píjiā | wallet; Taiwan pr. [pi2 jia2] | |
| 文件夾 | wénjiànjiā | folder; file (paper) | |
| 夾子 | jiāzi | clip; clamp | |
| 彈夾 | dànjiā | ammunition clip; cartridge clip; magazine | |
| 髮夾 | fàjiā | hair clip | |
| 夾擊 | jiājī | pincer attack; attack from two or more sides | |
| 夾心 | jiāxīn | to fill with stuffing (e.g. in cooking); stuffed | |
| 夾層 | jiācéng | hollow layer between two solid layers; (architecture) mezzanine | |
| 夾緊 | jiājǐn | to clamp; to grip |
Characters that contain 夾
Learning 夾 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 夾
How many strokes are in 夾?
夾 is written with 7 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 夾 mean?
夾 (jiā) means to support; to be wedged between. A common word with it is 夹克 (jiākè), meaning "(loanword) jacket; also pr. [jia2 ke4]".
How do you pronounce 夾?
夾 is pronounced jiā, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 夾?
The radical of 夾 is 大, which carries the idea of "big". Dictionaries list 夾 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 夾?
夾 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 夹, used in mainland China and Singapore.
When is 夾 pronounced jiá instead of jiā?
It is read jiá when it means double-layered or lined, as in a lined garment or quilt. In everyday words like 夾子 and 夾克 it is jiā.
How do you say armpit with 夾?
The word is 夾肢窩 (gā zhi wō), where 夾 is read gā. This is a colloquial word for armpit, linked to the idea of holding something under your arm.