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刀口 (dāo kǒu) — blade or edge of a knife; crucial point; key moment; (medical) incision; cut

Definition

Literally 'knife edge' — the sharp blade of a knife or scalpel, and by extension the critical point of a situation or a surgical incision. Use the figurative 'crucial point' sense when a moment is decisive.

noun
blade or edge of a knifecrucial pointkey moment(medical) incisioncut
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 刀口。
    Zhè bǎ dāo de dāo kǒu fēi cháng fēng lì.
    The blade of this knife is very sharp.
  • 刀口。
    Tán pàn dào le zuì guān jiàn de dāo kǒu shàng.
    The negotiations have reached the most critical point.
  • 刀口。
    Shǒu shù de dāo kǒu yù hé dé hěn hǎo.
    The surgical incision is healing well.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

刀dāoknife
口kǒuedge

刀 (knife) and 口 (edge/opening) refer to the cutting edge of a knife.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape of 刀 comes from a simple picture of a knife.

Open 刀 →

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →
Appears in
Kitchenware & TablewareMedicine & Treatment

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