Learn a Chinese Character - 截

1. Character Basics

Radical: 戈/gē (dagger-axe radical)

Stroke Count: 14

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jié (second tone)

3. Meaning

Cut off; sever; intercept; stop; block; section; part; piece; to cut; to block; to stop; to intercept; to check; to halt; to separate; to divide

4. Common Words

• 截断 (jiéduàn) - cut off, sever, interrupt

  大树倒下截断了道路。

  A large tree fell and blocked the road.

• 拦截 (lánjié) - intercept, stop, block

  警察拦截了逃跑的嫌疑人。

  The police intercepted the fleeing suspect.

• 截取 (jiéqǔ) - extract, intercept, take a section

  他从文件中截取了一段重要内容。

  He extracted an important section from the document.

• 截止 (jiézhǐ) - deadline, close, end

  报名截止日期是本周五。

  The registration deadline is this Friday.

• 截然 (jiérán) - completely, entirely, sharply

  他们的观点截然不同。

  Their viewpoints are completely different.

• 半截 (bànjié) - half, partial, incomplete

  他只说了半截话就离开了。

  He only said half of what he wanted to say before leaving.

5. Grammar & Usage

The character 截 has several important grammatical patterns and usages:

• As a verb:

  Used to indicate actions of cutting, stopping, intercepting, or blocking

  Example: 请截断电源。 (Please cut off the power supply.)

• As a classifier/measure word:

  Used to measure a section or part of something long

  Example: 一截绳子 (a section of rope), 半截铅笔 (half a pencil)

• In compound verbs:

  Often combined with other characters to form verbs with specific meanings related to cutting or stopping

  Examples: 截断 (cut off), 拦截 (intercept), 截获 (seize, capture)

• In the structure "截+名词":

  Where 截 modifies a noun to indicate it's related to cutting or stopping

  Examples: 截面 (cross-section), 截距 (intercept), 截稿 (deadline for submission)

• In the structure "名+截":

  Where 截 follows a noun to indicate a part or section of that noun

  Examples: 半截 (half), 断截 (broken part), 割截 (cut piece)

• In idiomatic expressions:

  Used in various idioms to describe cutting, blocking, or sudden stopping

  Example: 直截了当中 (zhíjié liǎodāng) - straightforward, 截长补短 (jié cháng bǔ duǎn) - borrow from one to make up for another

截 is a versatile character used in both literal and figurative senses to describe actions related to cutting, stopping, or dividing.

6. Cultural Background

The character 截 has important cultural significance in Chinese society:

• In traditional Chinese philosophy, the concept of 截 (cutting off or stopping) is sometimes used to describe the idea of letting go or ending negative thoughts or behaviors.
• The idiom 截长补短 (jié cháng bǔ duǎn) reflects the Chinese cultural value of mutual help and cooperation, emphasizing that we should learn from each other's strengths to make up for our own weaknesses.
• The character 截 is often used in martial arts terminology to describe techniques that intercept or block an opponent's attacks.
• In Chinese medicine, 截 is used in terms like 截疟 (stopping malaria) to describe treatments that stop or control certain conditions.
• The concept of 截止 (deadline) has become increasingly important in modern Chinese society with the development of bureaucracy, business, and education.
• In literature, 截 is sometimes used metaphorically to describe sudden changes or interruptions in a narrative or person's life.

Overall, the character 截 reflects important cultural concepts related to control, boundary-setting, and the management of resources and time in Chinese society.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 截 (jié) can be broken down into three parts:

• The lower part is 戈 (gē), the dagger-axe radical, which means "dagger-axe" or "weapon".
• The middle part is 隹 (zhuī), which means "short-tailed bird".
• The upper part is 土 (tǔ), which means "earth" or "soil".

To remember this character:

1. Associate the combination of 土, 隹, and 戈 with the idea of using a weapon (戈) to cut off or intercept something, like a bird (隹) on the ground (土).
2. Practice writing the character several times, focusing on the correct stroke order: start with 土, then add 隹 above the 戈 radical.
3. Connect the character to its most common use in everyday phrases like 截止 (deadline) or 截断 (cut off).
4. Use mnemonics: Imagine using a weapon (戈) to cut (截) through earth (土) and a bird (隹), representing the idea of cutting or intercepting.
5. Learn the character's cultural significance by associating it with concepts of control, boundaries, and mutual help in Chinese culture.
6. Notice how 截 appears in compound words with related meanings, and learn these compounds together to expand your vocabulary.