截 meaning and stroke order
To cut off (a length); to stop; to intercept
How to write 截, stroke by stroke
14 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 截
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to cut off (a length)
- to stop
- to intercept
- section
- chunk
- length
How 截 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A bird 隹 cut off from its nest 十 by a weapon 戈.
Radical: 戈 (spear), shared by 34 characters on this site.
How to remember 截
A bird 隹 is cut off from its nest 十 by a weapon 戈. Picture the halberd 戈 slicing through, and you get the idea of cutting something off or blocking its way.
截 (jié) means to cut off or intercept, and it also works as a measure word for a section or length of something. It appears often in formal words like 截止 (jiézhǐ, deadline, to close) and 拦截 (lánjié, to intercept). Example: 报名明天截止。(Bàomíng míngtiān jiézhǐ.) Registration closes tomorrow.
Common mistake: Learners mix up 截止 (jiézhǐ, to end, to close) and 截至 (jiézhì, up to a certain time). Use 截止 for a deadline that ends something, as in 截止日期, and use 截至 before a time point, as in 截至今天 (as of today).
Common words with 截
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 截止 | jiézhǐ | to end; to close; (electricity) cut-off | HSK 6 |
| 截至 | jiézhì | up to (a time); by (a time) | HSK 6 |
| 截然不同 | jiérán-bùtóng | entirely different; different as black and white | HSK 7-9 |
| 拦截 | lánjié | to intercept | |
| 截肢 | jiézhī | amputation (medicine); to amputate | |
| 截获 | jiéhuò | to intercept; to cut off and capture | |
| 直截了当 | zhíjiéliǎodàng | direct and plainspoken (idiom); blunt; straightforward | |
| 截断 | jiéduàn | to break or cut in two; to sever | |
| 截稿 | jiégǎo | (of a newspaper) to stop accepting incoming articles | |
| 截停 | jiétíng | to intercept (a vehicle etc) |
截 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 截
How many strokes are in 截?
截 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 截 mean?
截 (jié) means to cut off (a length); to stop; to intercept. A common word with it is 截止 (jiézhǐ), meaning "to end; to close; (electricity) cut-off".
How do you pronounce 截?
截 is pronounced jié, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 截?
The radical of 截 is 戈, which carries the idea of "spear". Dictionaries list 截 under this radical.
Is 截 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 截 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 截 used as a measure word?
截 counts sections or lengths cut from something long, like 一截绳子 (yì jié shéngzi, a piece of rope) or 半截 (bàn jié, half a length). It suggests the piece is part of a longer whole.
What does 直截了当 mean and is it rude?
直截了当 (zhíjiéliǎodàng) means direct and straightforward, with no beating around the bush. It is usually neutral or positive, as in 直截了当地说 (to say it plainly), though it can sound blunt depending on context.