翦 (jiǎn) - To cut & to exterminate

翦Tone 3

jiǎn ｜ 15 strokes ｜ radical:

嘉健

翦 · jiǎn

To cut;

to exterminate;

also a surname, notably of the Jurchen Jin dynasty imperial clan.

To cutto exterminatealso a surname, notably of the Jurchen Jin

Usage highlights

To cut offTo pruneTo exterminateJin surnameTo cut feathers

Synonyms

  • 剪— to cut with scissors; to trim
  • 斩— to behead; to chop
  • 除— to eliminate; to remove

Antonyms

  • 生— to grow; to be born
  • 植— to plant

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The gardener pruned the branches (翦枝).
  • The army was ordered to exterminate the rebels (翦除叛军).
  • He is researching the Jin dynasty (金朝).
  • The surname Jin is written as 翦 in some historical contexts.

Collocations

  • To cut off(翦除)
  • To prune(翦枝)
  • To exterminate(翦灭)
  • Jin surname(翦姓)
  • To cut feathers(翦羽)

Idioms

  • To cut off the weeds and eliminate the roots(翦草除根)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Used as a surname by the imperial clan of the Jurchen Jin dynasty (1115–1234).
  • The character carries connotations of decisive action, both in cultivation (pruning) and warfare (extermination).
  • In historical texts, it can appear in the context of military campaigns and consolidation of power.

FAQ