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March 24, 2026
剪刀jiǎndāo(jian3dao1)
剪刀 (jiǎndāo) means 'scissors' and is commonly used to refer to the cutting tool with two blades. It is often encountered in contexts such as crafting, cooking, or office work. This word can also be used metaphorically to describe cutting or dividing something.
Frequency#4819DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, scissors are often associated with the concept of separation, which can relate to the practice of 'cutting ties' or ending relationships. They are also commonly used in traditional crafts like paper cutting (剪纸).
Memory Tip
Think of 剪 (jiǎn) as 'to cut' and 刀 (dāo) as 'knife'. Imagine a pair of scissors cutting a piece of paper, where the two blades resemble a knife working together to separate the paper. The sound 'jian' can remind you of 'jigsaw', another cutting tool.
Meanings of 剪刀
jiǎndāo(jian3dao1)
1scissors
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 剪刀
剪刀Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#4819Frequency Rank
把Measure Word
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 剪刀
Podcast: 剪刀
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AI Study Notes for 剪刀
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 剪 (jiǎn) as 'to cut' and 刀 (dāo) as 'knife'. Imagine a pair of scissors cutting a piece of paper, where the two blades resemble a knife working together to separate the paper. The sound 'jian' can remind you of 'jigsaw', another cutting tool.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 剪刀 with other cutting tools like 刀 (knife) or 锯 (saw). It’s important to use the correct classifier '把' when referring to scissors, as in '一把剪刀' (yī bǎ jiǎndāo). Also, be careful with the tone; the second tone in 剪 (jiǎn) is crucial.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 剪刀 connects well with other tools and verbs related to actions and objects. Focus on using it in sentences that involve actions like cutting or crafting to reinforce your vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, scissors are often associated with the concept of separation, which can relate to the practice of 'cutting ties' or ending relationships. They are also commonly used in traditional crafts like paper cutting (剪纸).
Common Mistakes
Learners often mistakenly use the wrong tone, saying 'jian1 dao1' instead of 'jian3 dao1'. Another common error is omitting the classifier, saying '剪刀' instead of '一把剪刀'.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 剪刀
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Grammar Patterns of 剪刀
剪刀 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
这些园丁____又轻又好用.
These garden shears are lightweight and easy to use.
Example Sentences for 剪刀 (4)
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1
这些园丁剪刀又轻又好用.
zhè xiē yuán dīng jiǎn dāo yòu qīng yòu hǎo yòng.
These garden shears are lightweight and easy to use.
2
她从窗台上拿起一把剪刀。
tā cóng chuāng tái shàng ná qǐ yī bǎ jiǎn dāo。
She picked up a pair of scissors from the windowsill.
3
剪刀将他的手指划开了一道伤口.
jiǎn dāo jiāng tā de shǒu zhǐ huá kāi le yī dào shāng kǒu.
The woman stabbed at her attacker with a pair of scissors.
Cultural Notes for 剪刀
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, scissors are often associated with the concept of separation, which can relate to the practice of 'cutting ties' or ending relationships. They are also commonly used in traditional crafts like paper cutting (剪纸).
Frequently Asked Questions about 剪刀
You can say '我需要剪刀' (wǒ xūyào jiǎndāo).
The correct classifier is '把' (bǎ), so you would say '一把剪刀' (yī bǎ jiǎndāo).
Yes, you can specify types like '厨房剪刀' (chúfáng jiǎndāo) for kitchen scissors or '裁缝剪刀' (cáifeng jiǎndāo) for sewing scissors.
