刺 (cì) - to stab & to prick

刺Tone 4

cì ｜ 8 strokes ｜ radical: 刂

橙丁

刺 · cì

to stab;

to prick;

to pierce;

thorn;

splinter;

to assassinate;

to irritate;

to criticize;

sharp-pointed object

to stabto prickto pierce

Usage highlights

thornto stabto prickassassinationsatireirritation

Synonyms

  • 戳— to poke, to stab
  • 扎— to prick, to pierce
  • 插— to insert, to stick in

Antonyms

  • 抚— to caress, to soothe
  • 慰— to comfort, to console

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Be careful of the thorns (刺) on the rose.
  • The needle pricked (刺) my finger.
  • He was assassinated (被刺) in the palace.
  • Her words stung (刺伤) his pride.

Collocations

  • thorn(刺)
  • to stab(刺)
  • to prick(刺)
  • assassination(刺杀)
  • satire(讽刺)
  • irritation(刺激)

Idioms

  • To have a thorn in one's side(如芒在背)
  • To prick the heart and spine(刺心刻骨)
  • To point at the mulberry and revile the locust(指桑骂槐)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture (针刺) uses fine needles to stimulate specific points on the body.
  • The character appears in historical contexts related to assassination attempts, such as the story of Jing Ke's failed assassination of Qin Shi Huang (荆轲刺秦王).
  • In literature, '刺' often carries metaphorical meanings of sharp criticism or emotional pain.

FAQ