克 (kè) - to overcome & to subdue

克Tone 4

kè ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 十

俊梁

克 · kè

to overcome;

to subdue;

to restrain;

to be able to;

gram (unit of weight)

to overcometo subdueto restrain

Usage highlights

Overcome difficultiesRestrain oneselfGramWin a battleDiligent and thriftyComplete a task

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 败— to lose; to be defeated
  • 放纵— to indulge; to let loose

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He overcame many difficulties (克服困难).
  • Please restrain your temper (克制脾气).
  • This bag weighs 500 grams (五百克).
  • The team won the match (克敌制胜).

Collocations

  • Overcome difficulties(克服困难)
  • Restrain oneself(克制)
  • Gram(克)
  • Win a battle(克敌)
  • Diligent and thrifty(克勤克俭)
  • Complete a task(克期完成)

Idioms

  • Diligent and thrifty(克勤克俭)
  • Subdue self and return to propriety(克己复礼)
  • Overcome the enemy and win victory(克敌制胜)
  • Attack and destroy in one battle(攻无不克)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Originally depicted a person wearing armor, symbolizing the ability to overcome or bear weight.
  • Used in weight measurement since the metric system was adopted in China.
  • In Confucianism, '克己' (subdue self) is an important moral concept for self-cultivation.

FAQ