戳

• Pinyin: chuō
• Hanzi breakdown: 戳 = 翟 (phonetic, feathered) + 戈 (weapon, action of striking)

Meaning

To poke; to jab; to stamp. A verb describing a quick, pointed thrusting motion, or stamping a seal. Also used colloquially for touchscreen tapping.

Physical action of poking with a finger or pointed object. Extended to mean stamping documents with a seal. In digital contexts, used for tapping/clicking on screens. The idiom 戳穿 means to expose or debunk.

Examples

1. 她戳了戳我的胳膊，小声提醒我该发言了。 She poked my arm and whispered a reminder that it was my turn to speak.
2. 这份文件需要去办事处戳个章才能生效。 This document needs to be stamped at the office before it can take effect.
3. 他的一番话戳中了问题的要害，让所有人都沉默了。 His words hit the nail on the head, and everyone fell silent.

Usage Guide

Context: physical action, administrative, colloquial

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 别老戳屏幕，会戳坏的。(Stop poking the screen so much; you'll break it.)
• 你戳到我眼睛了！(You poked me in the eye!)

Don't Say

• 我戳开了门 (Use 推 for pushing open — 戳 is for poking/jabbing, not pushing)

Origin & History

Composed of 翟 (phonetic component) + 戈 (weapon/action). The character originally referred to piercing or stabbing motions.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal