斬 meaning and stroke order
To chop, to cut, to sever; to behead
How to write 斬, 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 斬
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to behead (as form of capital punishment)
- to chop
How 斬 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Axe.
斤 gives the meaning and 車 hints at the sound.
Radical: 斤 (a catty (about 500 grams)), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 斬
斬 combines 車 (chē, cart) on the left with 斤 (jīn, axe) on the right. The axe 斤 gives the meaning of chopping, and 車 was chosen as the sound component.
斬 is a formal, literary verb meaning to chop or sever, and it often refers to beheading in historical contexts. In modern Chinese it appears mostly in set words like 斬首 (zhǎnshǒu) and 斬斷 (zhǎnduàn), and in idioms. Example: 他決定斬斷過去。(Tā juédìng zhǎnduàn guòqù.) He decided to cut ties with the past.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 斬 with 暫 (zàn, temporary) and 漸 (jiàn, gradually), which both contain 斬 as a part. Also note the tone: 斬 is third tone zhǎn, not zhàn like 站 (to stand).
Common words with 斬
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 斬草除根 | zhǎncǎo-chúgēn | to cut weeds and eliminate the roots (idiom); to destroy root and branch; to eliminate com | HSK 7-9 |
| 斬首 | zhǎnshǒu | to behead; to decapitate | |
| 斬斷 | zhǎnduàn | to cut off; to chop sth in half |
Characters that contain 斬
Learning 斬 makes these easier to recognize and write.
Questions about 斬
How many strokes are in 斬?
斬 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 斬 mean?
斬 (zhǎn) means to chop, to cut, to sever; to behead. A common word with it is 斩草除根 (zhǎncǎo-chúgēn), meaning "to cut weeds and eliminate the roots (idiom); to destroy root and branch; to eliminate com".
How do you pronounce 斬?
斬 is pronounced zhǎn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 斬?
The radical of 斬 is 斤, which carries the idea of "a catty (about 500 grams)". Dictionaries list 斬 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 斬?
斬 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 斩, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does the idiom 斬草除根 mean?
斬草除根 (zhǎncǎo-chúgēn) literally means to cut the weeds and pull out the roots. It means to solve a problem completely so it cannot come back.
Is 斬 used in everyday spoken Chinese?
Not very often on its own. In daily speech people usually say 砍 (kǎn) or 切 (qiē) for chopping, while 斬 appears in fixed words, idioms, news headlines, and historical stories.