雕刻 (diāo kè) — to carve, to engrave; carving (the art or the carved object)

Definition

雕刻 is the two-character verb/noun for the art of carving wood, stone, or jade. It pairs naturally with 雕像 (the statue made) and 雕塑 (sculpting in the round); as a verb it overlaps with the single character 刻 but adds the sense of a finished work.

to carveto engravecarving (the art or the carved object)

Examples

  • 雕刻。
    Tā zài mù tou shàng diāo kè le yì zhī niǎo.
    He carved a bird on the wood.
  • 雕刻。
    Zhè jiàn diāo kè shì yòng yù shí zuò de.
    This carving is made of jade.
  • 。
    Tā zài shí diāo kè le zì jǐ de míng zì.
    He engraved his name on the stone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

雕diāocarve
刻kèengrave

“雕” (carve) and “刻” (engrave) join as parallel actions of shaping by cutting.

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
隹隹zhuī
Sound part声符shēngfú
周
周zhōu雕diāo
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

雕 pairs 隹, a bird radical, with 周, which supplies the sound.

Open 雕 →

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
刂Written in full as刀dāo
Sound part声符shēngfú
亥
亥hài刻kè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

刻 is made of 刂, a form of 刀 (knife), and 亥, which gives the sound.

Open 刻 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Art & Fine ArtsCrafts & Handiwork

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