刀

• Pinyin: dāo
• Hanzi breakdown: 刀 = pictograph of a curved knife blade

Meaning

Knife; blade. A general term for any cutting tool with a blade.

Used for kitchen knives, pocket knives, and various types of blades. Also appears in compound words like 菜刀 (kitchen knife), 剪刀 (scissors), and 刀子 (small knife). Measure word: 把 (bǎ).

Examples

1. 妈妈用刀把苹果切成了小块。 Mum used a knife to cut the apple into small pieces.
2. 这把刀很锋利，用的时候要小心。 This knife is very sharp; be careful when using it.
3. 厨房里有好几把不同的刀。 There are several different knives in the kitchen.

Usage Guide

Context: cooking, tools, everyday

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 请帮我拿一把刀来。(Please bring me a knife.)
• 这把刀需要磨一磨了。(This knife needs to be sharpened.)

Don't Say

• 一个刀 (Don't use 个 as the measure word for 刀 — use 把: 一把刀)

Origin & History

Pictograph depicting the curved shape of a knife blade, one of the oldest Chinese characters.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal