TongTong
Sign in

剪切 (jiǎn qiē) — to cut (with scissors or shears); to shear; (geology) shear (stress or deformation); (computing) to cut (as in cut-and-paste)

Definition

Compound verb meaning 'to cut' with a sharp tool — scissors in everyday use, but at HSK 7 it extends to technical senses like geological shear stress and digital cut-and-paste. The noun form is rare.

to cut (with scissors or shears)to shear(geology) shear (stress or deformation)(computing) to cut (as in cut-and-paste)

Examples

  • 剪切。
    Qǐng yòng jiǎn dāo jiǎn qiē zhè zhāng zhǐ.
    Please cut this piece of paper with scissors.
  • 剪切。
    Dì zhì xué jiā yán jiū le yán shí de jiǎn qiē yìng lì.
    Geologists studied the shear stress of the rock.
  • 剪切，。
    Zài wén dàng zhōng jiǎn qiē yí duàn wén zì, rán hòu zhān tiē dào bié chù.
    Cut a paragraph in the document, then paste it elsewhere.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

剪jiǎncut
切qiècut

剪 and 切 both mean to cut, so the pair emphasizes cutting or shearing.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
歬
歬qián剪jiǎn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 剪, 刀 is the knife part and 歬 gives the sound. After 前 came to replace 歬, another 刀 was added to 剪.

Open 剪 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
七
七qī切qiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 切, the 刀 (knife) part is joined to 七, which gives the sound.

Open 切 →
Appears in
Computers & Internet

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