掐 meaning and stroke order
To pick (flowers); to pinch; to nip
How to write 掐, stroke by stroke
11 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 掐
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to pick (flowers)
- to pinch
- to nip
- to pinch off
- to clutch
- (slang) to fight
How 掐 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Hand.
扌 gives the meaning and 臽 hints at the sound.
Radical: 扌 (hand), shared by 342 characters on this site.
How to remember 掐
The hand radical 扌 on the left tells you this is an action done with the hand. The right part 臽 gives the sound, so picture your fingers pinching something tight between them.
掐 (qiā) describes pressing or squeezing with the fingertips or nails: pinching skin, nipping off a flower or a bean sprout, or gripping someone's neck. It also appears in 掐死 (qiāsǐ, to choke to death) and, in casual speech, means to quarrel or fight. Example: 别掐我。(Bié qiā wǒ.) Don't pinch me.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 掐 (qiā) with 陷 (xiàn, to sink, trap) and 馅 (xiàn, filling), which share the 臽 part but have a different sound and meaning. Also keep the first tone. It is not qià as in 恰 (qià, exactly), which uses the heart radical 忄 and 合.
Common words with 掐
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 掐死 | qiāsǐ | to throttle; to choke to death |
掐 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 掐
How many strokes are in 掐?
掐 is written with 11 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 掐 mean?
掐 (qiā) means to pick (flowers); to pinch; to nip. A common word with it is 掐死 (qiāsǐ), meaning "to throttle; to choke to death".
How do you pronounce 掐?
掐 is pronounced qiā, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 掐?
The radical of 掐 is 扌, which carries the idea of "hand". Dictionaries list 掐 under this radical.
Is 掐 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 掐 is part of the HSK 7-9 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 掐指一算 mean?
掐指一算 (qiā zhǐ yī suàn) literally means counting by pressing the fingertips with the thumb. People use it playfully to mean making a quick calculation or prediction.
How do you say 'to cut off a phone call or signal' with 掐?
In spoken Chinese, 掐断 (qiāduàn) means to cut off or break off, like cutting a call, a wire, or a conversation. You may also hear 掐掉 (qiādiào) for nipping something off, such as a bud.