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戋 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
戋jiānsmall, narrow; tiny, littlex, 5 strokes, radical 戈
jiān(jian1) T1
  1. 1small, narrow; tiny, little
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March 24, 2026

戋(戔)jiān(jian1)

The character 戋 (jiān) refers to something that is small, narrow, or tiny. It is often used in contexts where size or scale is emphasized, such as describing tiny items or narrow spaces. This character can be seen as a descriptor for things that are diminutive in nature.

Strokes5Radical戈
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of smallness often relates to humility and modesty. For instance, the idea of 'small blessings' is valued, as it implies a grateful attitude towards life’s little gifts.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tiny sword (the radical 戈) that can only cut a narrow line. This small sword represents the idea of something being small or narrow (jiān), linking the pronunciation to the smallness it denotes.

Meanings of 戋

jiān(jian1)
1small, narrow; tiny, little
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 戋

戋Simplified
戔Traditional
5Strokes
戈Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 戋

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Podcast: 戋

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AI Study Notes for 戋

Quick Contrast

细 (xì) vs 小 (xiǎo) — use 戋 for very small or narrow contexts, while 细 emphasizes thinness and 小 refers to general smallness.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 戋 (jiān) with similar-sounding words or characters that imply size differently. It is mostly used in informal contexts and can appear in compound words. Ensure the tone is pronounced correctly to avoid misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 戋 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with other HSK words related to size, such as 小 (xiǎo - small) and 瘦 (shòu - thin). Focus on how this character fits into descriptions and comparisons of size.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 戋 (jiān) with 小 (xiǎo), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我有一个戋的房间' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè jiān de fángjiān) is incorrect; it should be '我有一个小的房间' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè xiǎo de fángjiān).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 戋

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Etymology of 戋

Explanation

Simplified form of 戔. Combination of two weapons (戈), based on the original meaning "destroy", now written as 殘.

Learn more about character formation (六书)

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 戋

Simplified form of 戔. Combination of two weapons (戈), based on the original meaning "destroy", now written as 殘.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 戋? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

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Decomposition of 戋

IDS Structure⿻戈一
戋Full Character
=
戈Ge1
outer
一yi1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 戋?

How to say small, narrow; tiny, little in Chinese

“small, narrow; tiny, little” in Chinese is戋jiān

The character 戋 (jiān) refers to something that is small, narrow, or tiny. It is often used in contexts where size or scale is emphasized, such as describing tiny items or narrow spaces. This character can be seen as a descriptor for things that are diminutive in nature.

When to use 戋

Be careful not to confuse 戋 (jiān) with similar-sounding words or characters that imply size differently. It is mostly used in informal contexts and can appear in compound words. Ensure the tone is pronounced correctly to avoid misunderstandings.

戋 or something close to it

细 (xì) vs 小 (xiǎo) — use 戋 for very small or narrow contexts, while 细 emphasizes thinness and 小 refers to general smallness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 戋 (jiān) with 小 (xiǎo), leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我有一个戋的房间' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè jiān de fángjiān) is incorrect; it should be '我有一个小的房间' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè xiǎo de fángjiān).

Write 戋

戋

Practice writing 戋 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 戋

Words Containing This Character1
戋jiānnarrow戔
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 戋 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 戋

It is pronounced as 'jiān'.

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