叉 (chā) - fork & cross

叉Tone 1

chā ｜ 3 strokes ｜ radical: 又

偲嫦

叉 · chā

fork;

cross;

intersect;

to cross (e.

g.

, arms);

to mark with a cross or check;

to stab or pierce.

forkcrossintersect

Usage highlights

forkintersectioncross markfork in the roadto cross armsforklift

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 勾— check mark (opposite of cross mark)
  • 直— straight (opposite of crossed)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Please use a fork (叉子) to eat.
  • Mark the correct answer with a cross (叉).
  • The roads intersect (交叉) here.
  • He crossed his arms (叉着手).

Collocations

  • fork(叉子)
  • intersection(交叉)
  • cross mark(叉号)
  • fork in the road(岔路口)
  • to cross arms(叉手)
  • forklift(叉车)

Idioms

  • Seven forks and eight twists(七叉八拐)
  • Crossing swords(刀叉相见)
  • Forked tongue(叉舌)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character depicts a hand with fingers crossed or spread, originally meaning to interlock or cross.
  • Used in various contexts from dining utensils to road intersections and marking systems.
  • In some contexts, a cross mark indicates incorrectness or prohibition.

FAQ