切

qiē, qiè

七 + 刀

HSK 2.0Level 5

HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

qiē (verb) to cut; to slice

qiè (adverb) definitely; absolutely

qiè (adjective) close to; eager

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 刀 represents the meaning and 七 represents the sound.

Semantic: 刀 Phonetic: 七

About

The character 切 is a phono-semantic compound that blends the physical act of cutting with a derived sense of urgency. It is structured with the semantic component 刀 (dāo, knife) on the right and the phonetic component 七 (qī) on the left. With the original pronunciation qiē, it literally means 'to cut' or 'to slice.' The derived pronunciation qiè takes on figurative meanings of closeness, eagerness, and thoroughness; the idea of a knife cutting to the very core gives rise to senses of intensity, urgency, and totality.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

妈妈在切菜。

Māma zài qiē cài.

Mom is cutting vegetables.

他用刀切面包。

Tā yòng dāo qiē miànbāo.

He uses a knife to cut bread.

老师很亲切。

Lǎoshī hěn qīnqiè.

The teacher is very kind.

一切都很顺利。

Yīqiè dōu hěn shùnlì.

Everything is going smoothly.

他的回答很切题。

Tā de huídá hěn qiètí.

His answer is very to the point.

切蛋糕的时候要小心。

Qiē dàngāo de shíhòu yào xiǎoxīn.

Be careful when cutting the cake.

为了健康，他切掉了不良习惯。

Wèile jiànkāng, tā qiē diào le bùliáng xíguàn.

For health, he cut off bad habits.

在数学中，切线与曲线相切。

Zài shùxué zhōng, qiēxiàn yǔ qūxiàn xiāngqiē.

In mathematics, a tangent line is tangent to the curve.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

Component: 七

Component: 刀

切