尖 (jiān) - sharp & pointed

尖Tone 1

jiān ｜ 6 strokes ｜ radical: 小

嘉健

尖 · jiān

sharp;

pointed;

tip;

top;

best of its kind;

shrill (voice)

sharppointedtip

Usage highlights

sharp pointsharp weaponsharp voicetop studenttip of the tonguesharp criticism

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 钝— blunt, dull
  • 圆— round, circular
  • 平— flat, level

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The knife is very sharp (刀很尖).
  • He has a sharp voice (他的声音很尖).
  • Mount Everest is the world's highest peak (珠穆朗玛峰是世界最高峰).
  • She is a top student (她是尖子生).

Collocations

  • sharp point(尖端)
  • sharp weapon(尖刀)
  • sharp voice(尖声)
  • top student(尖子生)
  • tip of the tongue(舌尖)
  • sharp criticism(尖锐批评)

Idioms

  • Sharp-tongued and sharp-toothed(尖嘴薄舌)
  • Pointed head and rat eyes(尖嘴猴腮)
  • The tip of an iceberg(冰山尖角)
  • Stand out from the crowd(出类拔萃)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character combines 'small' (小) on top and 'big' (大) below, visually representing something that starts small and expands - the essence of a sharp point.
  • In Chinese education, '尖子生' refers to top-performing students, reflecting the character's association with excellence and being at the forefront.
  • Used metaphorically to describe both physical sharpness and intellectual acuity or vocal qualities.

FAQ