箭 meaning and stroke order
Arrow
How to write 箭, stroke by stroke
15 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 箭
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- arrow
How 箭 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Bamboo.
⺮ gives the meaning and 前 hints at the sound.
Radical: ⺮ (bamboo), shared by 149 characters on this site.
How to remember 箭
箭 is pictophonetic: the bamboo top ⺮ gives the meaning, since arrow shafts were made of bamboo, and 前 (qián, front) gives the sound. Picture a bamboo stick flying to the front.
箭 rarely stands alone in daily speech. It usually appears in words like 火箭 (huǒjiàn, rocket), 射箭 (shèjiàn, archery) and 箭头 (jiàntóu, arrow symbol). Example: 请按照箭头走。(Qǐng ànzhào jiàntóu zǒu.) Please follow the arrows.
Common mistake: Learners often drop the bamboo top and write 前 (qián), or confuse 箭 with 剪 (jiǎn, to cut), which has 刀 under 前 instead of ⺮ on top. Also note the fourth tone: jiàn, not qián.
Common words with 箭
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 火箭 | huǒjiàn | rocket | HSK 6 |
| 弓箭手 | gōngjiànshǒu | archer | |
| 射箭 | shèjiàn | archery; to shoot an arrow | |
| 箭头 | jiàntóu | arrowhead; arrow symbol | |
| 弓箭 | gōngjiàn | bow and arrow | |
| 火箭筒 | huǒjiàntǒng | bazooka; rocket launcher | |
| 火箭炮 | huǒjiànpào | rocket artillery | |
| 挡箭牌 | dǎngjiànpái | arrow-blocking shield; (fig.) pretext; cover; sth used to deflect blame, criticism or pres |
箭 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 箭
How many strokes are in 箭?
箭 is written with 15 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 箭 mean?
箭 (jiàn) means arrow. A common word with it is 火箭 (huǒjiàn), meaning "rocket".
How do you pronounce 箭?
箭 is pronounced jiàn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 箭?
The radical of 箭 is ⺮, which carries the idea of "bamboo". Dictionaries list 箭 under this radical.
Is 箭 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 箭 is part of the HSK 6 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard.
What does 挡箭牌 mean figuratively?
Literally a shield that blocks arrows, 挡箭牌 (dǎngjiànpái) usually means an excuse or someone used to deflect blame. Example: 他拿工作忙当挡箭牌。He uses being busy at work as an excuse.
Is 箭 used in any common idioms?
Yes. 归心似箭 (guī xīn sì jiàn) means being eager to return home, with the heart flying home like an arrow. 光阴似箭 (guāngyīn sì jiàn) means time flies like an arrow.