Chinese word

尖

Pronunciation

Pinyinjiān

Meaning

  • adjectivesharp

Example

这把刀很尖，要小心。zhè bǎ dāo hěn jiān yào xiǎo xīn

This knife is very sharp, so be careful.

Illustration for 尖 (sharp)

More examples

那只鸟的叫声很尖，在夜里特别刺耳。nà zhǐ niǎo de jiào shēng hěn jiān zài yè lǐ tè bié cì ěr

That bird's call is very shrill and especially grating at night.

Core concept

Something tapers into a small, prominent tip that looks or feels sharp.

Common phrases

  • 刀口很尖dāo kǒu hěn jiān

    very sharp blade edge

  • 牙齿很尖yá chǐ hěn jiān

    very pointed teeth

  • 叫声很尖jiào shēng hěn jiān

    very shrill cry

Similar words

锋利fēng lì: Having a very sharp edge that cuts easily.
尖锐jiān ruì: Sharp and forceful in a way that makes disagreement or tension clear.

Definition in Chinese

顶端呈细长或突出状，触感或视觉上给人锐利的感觉。dǐng duān chéng xì cháng huò tū chū zhuàng chù gǎn huò shì jué shàng gěi rén ruì lì de gǎn jué

Word origin

尖 (jiān, "sharp; pointed") combines 小 (xiǎo, "small") + 大 (dà, "large") to suggest a large form narrowing to a small top point.

Usage tips

  • In everyday descriptions, the word applies to a pencil, needle, thorn, or horn because its end narrows into a point, not because the whole object is thin.

Other meanings

  • pointedadjective

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word