斷 meaning and stroke order
To sever, to cut off, to interrupt
How to write 斷, stroke by stroke
18 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 斷
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to break
- to snap
- to cut off
- to give up or abstain from sth
- to judge
- (usu. used in the negative) absolutely
How 斷 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. Threads 幺 severed 一 by an axe 斤.
Radical: 斤 (a catty (about 500 grams)), shared by 12 characters on this site.
How to remember 斷
On the left, four bundles of thread 幺 are stacked and split by a line 一. On the right is an axe 斤 that just chopped through them, so 斷 (duàn) means to cut off or break.
斷 is the traditional form; mainland China writes 断. It appears in words about breaking, like 打断 (dǎduàn, to interrupt), and in words about judging, like 判断 (pànduàn). Example: 電話突然斷了。(Diànhuà tūrán duàn le.) The phone call suddenly cut off.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 斷 (duàn, to break) with 繼 (jì, to continue), because both have the stacked 幺 thread shapes. 斷 has the axe 斤 on the right, while 繼 has the silk radical 糸 on the left.
Common words with 斷
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 不斷 | bùduàn | unceasing; uninterrupted | HSK 3 |
| 判斷 | pànduàn | to judge; to determine; judgment | HSK 3 |
| 中斷 | zhōngduàn | to cut short; to break off | HSK 5 |
| 診斷 | zhěnduàn | to diagnose | HSK 5 |
| 打斷 | dǎduàn | to interrupt; to break off | HSK 6 |
| 切斷 | qiēduàn | to cut off; to sever | HSK 7-9 |
| 推斷 | tuīduàn | to infer; to deduce | HSK 7-9 |
| 斷定 | duàndìng | to conclude; to determine | HSK 7-9 |
| 斷裂 | duànliè | fracture; rupture | HSK 7-9 |
| 果斷 | guǒduàn | firm; decisive | HSK 7-9 |
| 壟斷 | lǒngduàn | to monopolize | HSK 7-9 |
| 源源不斷 | yuányuán-bùduàn | (idiom) in an unending stream; continuous | HSK 7-9 |
| 斷斷續續 | duànduànxùxù | intermittent; off and on | HSK 7-9 |
| 間斷 | jiànduàn | disconnected; interrupted | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 斷
How many strokes are in 斷?
斷 is written with 18 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 斷 mean?
斷 (duàn) means to sever, to cut off, to interrupt. A common word with it is 不断 (bùduàn), meaning "unceasing; uninterrupted".
How do you pronounce 斷?
斷 is pronounced duàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 斷?
The radical of 斷 is 斤, which carries the idea of "a catty (about 500 grams)". Dictionaries list 斷 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 斷?
斷 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 断, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What is the difference between 断 and 折 for breaking things?
断 (duàn) is the general word for something breaking or being cut into separate pieces, like a rope or a connection. 折 (zhé) focuses on snapping or bending something long and stiff, like a stick or a branch.
How is 断 used to mean 'absolutely' in Chinese?
In formal or written Chinese, 断 can come before a negative to mean absolutely or definitely. For example, 断不可 (duàn bù kě) means absolutely must not. It sounds literary and is rare in casual speech.