戛 (jiá) — (bound form) to knock gently, to tap

Definition

A bound literary character that rarely stands alone. It appears mainly in 戛然 (jiárán) meaning 'abruptly stopping', a written-style word for a sudden halt in sound or speech.

bound form
to knock gentlyto tap
Easily confused

Examples

  • 戛，。
    Tā yòng shǒu zhǐ jiá jī zhuō miàn, fā chū qīng wēi de xiǎng shēng.
    He tapped the table with his fingers, making a faint sound.
  • 戛，。
    Tā de huà jiá rán tíng zhǐ, sì hū xiǎng qǐ le shén me.
    He stopped talking abruptly, as if he had remembered something.
  • ，。
    Gù shi jiǎng dào zhè lǐ jiá rán ér zhǐ, liú xià xuán niàn.
    The story ended abruptly here, leaving a cliffhanger.

Origin

Compound ideograph
六书liùshū
会意huìyì

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

  • 𦣻𦣻𦣻head
  • 戈戈gēhalberd

戛 is made from 𦣻 (head) and 戈 (halberd).

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.