刺 Stroke Order — How to Write 刺
刺 is written in 8 strokes, following the standard Chinese stroke order. Start from the radical 刂, then complete the remaining strokes.
Stroke order matters in Chinese: it keeps the character balanced, and it is how dictionaries and handwriting input methods expect a character to be written.
刺 Radical and Character Components
Components:朿刂
刺 is a phono-semantic compound: 刂 (knife) carries the meaning, while 朿 indicates the sound.
Radical: 刂 + 6 more strokes
刺 Pronunciation and Pinyin
- cì
- cī
Meanings of 刺 in Chinese
1
cì刺
to prick, to stab, to pierce with a pointed object
他不小心被针刺伤了手指。
He accidentally pricked his finger with a needle.
to assassinate; to stab (often with intent to kill); refers to an assassin or an assassination attempt.
传说中，那名刺客曾试图行刺一位权贵。
Legend has it that the assassin once tried to assassinate a powerful dignitary.
To inquire or probe into, to spy on or gather information covertly.
他们试图刺探竞争对手的商业机密。
They tried to probe into their competitor's business secrets.
To criticize, mock, or satirize someone or something with sharp, pointed words; to ridicule.
他的话语充满了讽刺，让大家都很不舒服。
His words were full of sarcasm, making everyone quite uncomfortable.
A sharp, needle-like object; a thorn, prickle, or bone (e.g., a fish bone).
吃鱼的时候要小心鱼刺。
Be careful of fish bones when eating fish.
2
cī刺
Onomatopoeia: 'cī' describes a sudden slipping or friction sound.
他脚底一滑，刺溜一声摔了个大跟头。
He slipped, and with a 'cī liū' sound, took a big tumble.
Common Words and Phrases with 刺
1
To reprimand or scold someone.
小明因为没完成作业，被老师好好刺打了一顿。
Xiao Ming was thoroughly reprimanded by the teacher because he didn't finish his homework.
2
A knife-like weapon that can be fixed to the muzzle of a rifle and used in close combat.
在训练中，他们学习了如何正确安装和使用刺刀
During training, they learned how to properly attach and use a bayonet.
3
An obnoxious and difficult person; a troublemaker.
新来的员工虽然技术很好，但脾气有点倔，是个刺儿头，大家都不太喜欢和他合作。
Although the new employee is technically skilled, he's a bit stubborn and a real troublemaker, so people don't particularly enjoy collaborating with him.
4
Grating or harsh to the ear; also used for sarcastic or unpleasant remarks.
工厂里机器发出的噪音非常刺耳。
The noise from the machines in the factory was very harsh.
5
Piercingly or bitterly cold, like cold that seems to penetrate to the bone.
北方的冬天，寒风刺骨，人们都穿上了厚厚的棉衣。
In the northern winter, the biting cold wind penetrates the bones, and people all put on thick cotton coats.
6
To stimulate, excite, or provoke; to irritate.
适当的运动可以刺激身体的新陈代谢，有助于保持健康。
Appropriate exercise can stimulate the body's metabolism, helping to maintain health.
7
The quality of being irritating or causing a strong, noticeable reaction.
这种清洁剂具有很强的刺激性，使用时请务必佩戴手套。
This cleaner has strong irritating properties; please make sure to wear gloves when using it.
8
an assassin
在古老的传说中，刺客往往被描绘成身手敏捷、行踪诡秘的神秘人物。
In ancient legends, assassins are often depicted as mysterious figures with agile skills and secretive movements.
9
To perforate; to make holes, especially a series of small holes, in a material like paper, often simultaneously.
他小心翼翼地在皮革上刺孔，准备缝合。
He carefully perforated the leather, preparing to stitch it.
10
An onomatopoeic sound, like a tearing or quick scratching/sliding noise, similar to striking a match.
他刺啦一声撕开了包装，露出了里面的礼物
He ripped open the packaging with a sharp tearing sound, revealing the gift inside.
11
A sound indicating something sliding quickly or slipping.
小猫刺溜一下钻进了沙发底下，不见了踪影
The kitten zipped under the sofa and disappeared from sight.
12
To tattoo a criminal's face and exile them to a remote region in ancient China.
在古代小说中，常有英雄好汉因触犯律法而被刺配边疆的情节
In ancient novels, there are often plots where heroes are tattooed on their faces and exiled to the frontier for breaking the law.
13
14
To prick or sting someone; to be irritating or offensive.
她的话语虽然直接，但有时也显得有些刺人。
Although her words are direct, they can sometimes come across as a bit cutting.
15
To assassinate; to kill an important person, often secretly or by surprise.
经验丰富的渔民用鱼叉刺杀了一条巨大的金枪鱼。
The experienced fisherman speared a giant tuna with his harpoon.
16
to stab or prick (someone/something) with a sharp object, causing injury
那个园丁不小心被玫瑰的刺刺伤了手。
The gardener accidentally pricked his hand on a rose thorn.
More words with 刺
- chōng冲cì刺Sprint
- yú鱼cì刺A small, sharp bone found in fish.
- chuān穿cì刺Puncture, Aspiration
- dú毒cì刺Stinger, Venomous sting
- fěng讽cì刺Satire, Sarcasm
- gǔ骨cì刺bone spur
- jī讥cì刺To ridicule, satirize, or mock.
- jiǔ酒cì刺A common term for acne or pimples.
- míng名cì刺A calling card or visiting card.
- pī劈cì刺sabre or bayonet fighting
- xíng行cì刺to assassinate
- yù遇cì刺to be attacked by an assassin
- zhēn针cì刺acupuncture, needling
- qiáng强cì刺jī激strong stimulus, intense stimulation
- dào倒cì刺hangnail, agnail
- fěn粉cì刺acne
- jí棘cì刺thorn, spine
- máo毛cì刺burr
- qiāng枪cì刺bayonet, bayonet thrust
- tǐng铤cì刺Dagger, Stiletto
Idioms with 刺
- cì刺cì刺bù不xiū休chatter on and on
- cì刺gǔ股xuán悬liáng梁study diligently with perseverance
- bèi背shēng生máng芒cì刺feel extremely uneasy or apprehensive
- hán寒qì气cì刺gǔ骨bone-chilling cold
- huà话lǐ里dài带cì刺words with hidden barbs
- huà话lǐ里yǒu有cì刺words with hidden barbs
- huà话zhōng中dài带cì刺words carry a sting
- máng芒cì刺zài在bèi背feel extremely uneasy, as if thorns pricking back
- tiāo挑máo毛jiǎn拣cì刺to nitpick and find fault
- tiāo挑máo毛tī剔cì刺to nitpick and find fault
- xuán悬liáng梁cì刺gǔ股study diligently despite hardship
- cì刺gǔ股dú读shū书study diligently despite hardship
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Open the tool →Questions about 刺
What does 刺 mean in Chinese?
刺 (cì) means “to prick” in Chinese.
How do you pronounce 刺?
刺 has 2 pronunciations: cì, cī.
How many strokes does 刺 have?
刺 has 8 strokes.
How do you write 刺?
刺 is written in 8 strokes, starting from the radical 刂. See the animated stroke order on this page.
What is the radical of 刺?
The radical of 刺 is 刂, and 刺 is a phono-semantic compound.
