錐 (zhuī) - Awl — a pointed tool for piercing holes & anything shaped like an awl or cone

錐Tone 1

zhuī ｜ 16 strokes ｜ radical:

志

錐 · zhuī

Awl — a pointed tool for piercing holes;

anything shaped like an awl or cone;

to concentrate on a single point.

Awl — a pointed tool for piercing holesanything shaped like an awl or coneto concentrate on a single point.

Usage highlights

AwlCone shapeConeTaperPyramidAwl mark

Synonyms

  • 鑽— drill, bore (similar piercing function)

Antonyms

  • 錘— hammer (blunt tool vs. pointed tool)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Use an awl to make holes in leather (用錐子穿孔).
  • The cone-shaped mountain peak (錐形山峰).
  • He concentrated his efforts on this single point (他立錐於此).
  • The ice cream cone (冰淇淋甜筒) is sometimes called 錐形筒.

Collocations

  • Awl(錐子)
  • Cone shape(錐形)
  • Cone(圓錐)
  • Taper(錐度)
  • Pyramid(角錐)
  • Awl mark(錐痕)

Idioms

  • Not even enough land to stick an awl into(無立錐之地)
  • Awl in a bag — talent cannot be hidden(錐處囊中)
  • Sharp as an awl's point(如錐畫沙)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, awls were essential tools for leatherworking and other crafts.
  • The idiom 'not even enough land to stick an awl into' describes extreme poverty.
  • The character appears in classical texts describing both practical tools and metaphorical concentration.

FAQ