Definition
刀 (dāo) is a knife or single-edged blade used in daily life (e.g., kitchen knife, cleaver). 剑 (jiàn) is a double-edged sword, used historically or in martial arts. 刀 is the everyday term; 剑 is more formal or specialized.
noun
knifeblade(slang) dollar
Measure word · 把
Easily confused
- 力lìlook-alikepower, force, strength
- 到dàosound-alike(verb) to arrive at, to reach (a place or time)
- 乃nǎilook-alike(literary adverb) thus; therefore; then
- 倒dǎosound-alike(verb) to fall, to topple over
- 万wànlook-aliketen thousand
- 倒dǎosound-aliketo fall, to topple (physically)
- 垂chuílook-aliketo hang down, to droop, to dangle
- 道dàosound-alike(noun) road, path; principle, morality; method, skill; the Dao (of Daoism)
- 岛dǎosound-alikeisland
- 盗dàosound-aliketo steal, to rob, to plunder (formal; often used in compounds)
Examples
- 刀。Wǒ yǒu yì bǎ xīn dāo.I have a new knife.
- 刀。Māma yòng dāo qiē shuǐguǒ.Mom uses a knife to cut fruit.
- 刀，。Zhè jiàn yīfu èrshí dāo, hěn piányi.This piece of clothing is 20 dollars, very cheap.
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