Meaning of 插
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to insert
- stick in
- pierce
- to take part in
- to interfere
- to interpose
- old variant of 插[cha1]
How to use 插
插 is a common action verb for putting something into a slot, hole, or gap, such as plugging in a cable or putting flowers in a vase. It also extends to joining or interfering, as in 插手 (chāshǒu) and 插嘴 (chāzuǐ). Example: 把插头插上。(Bǎ chātóu chā shàng.) Plug it in.
插 (chā) has the hand radical 扌 on the left, so picture a hand pushing something into place. The right side looks like a tool going down into a container, like a hand sticking a stick into a mortar.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 插 (chā) with 摇 (yáo, to shake), since both have 扌 and a busy right side. Check the right part: 插 has 千 over 臼. Also keep the first tone; it is not chà.
插 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
插 chā · to insert · 12 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 插.
| 插手 | chāshǒu | to get involved in; to meddle |
| 插嘴 | chāzuǐ | to interrupt (sb talking); to butt in |
| 插图 | chātú | illustration |
| 插入 | chārù | to insert; to stick in; to plug in |
| 插进 | chājìn | to insert; to stick in |
| 插曲 | chāqǔ | music played during a movie, play etc; incidental music |
| 插管 | chāguǎn | (medicine) to intubate; intubation |
| 安插 | ānchā | to place in a certain position; to assign to a job |
| 插头 | chātóu | plug |
| 插播 | chābō | to interrupt (a radio or TV program) with a commercial insert, breaking news etc; to put a |
| 插上 | chāshang | to plug into; to insert |
| 插座 | chāzuò | socket; outlet |
Questions about 插
What does 插 mean?
插 (chā) means "to insert; stick in" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 插?
插 is made of 1 character: 插 (12 strokes). That is 12 strokes in total.
Is 插 an HSK word?
Yes. 插 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How do you say to plug in a phone charger with 插?
You can say 插上充电器 (chā shàng chōngdiànqì). The plug itself is 插头 (chātóu) and the socket is 插座 (chāzuò).
Why does 插曲 mean an episode or incident as well as incidental music?
插曲 (chāqǔ) literally means a piece inserted into something larger. Besides music in a film, it is used for a small unexpected event during a trip or process, like 一个小插曲 (yí ge xiǎo chāqǔ), a little episode.