卡子

• Pinyin: qiǎ zi
• Hanzi breakdown: 卡 = 上 (up) + 下 (down) (caught/stuck between two things — hence clip or checkpoint); 子 = child/diminutive suffix

Meaning

Clip; clasp; fastener; hairpin; checkpoint. A small device used to fasten or clip things together; also a checkpoint or barrier set up to stop and check people or vehicles.

Multiple meanings: 1) a small clip or fastener (发卡子 — hairpin/clip); 2) a military or police checkpoint (设卡子 — set up a checkpoint). Colloquial in register. In everyday speech, 卡子 often refers to small hair clips, paper clips, or mechanical clamps.

Examples

1. 她随手从抽屉里取出一枚小卡子，将散乱的文件整整齐齐地归拢夹在了一起，方便查阅。 She casually took a small clip from the drawer and neatly gathered the scattered documents, clipping them together for easy reference.
2. 边境执法部门在多个战略要道设置了严密的卡子，对所有过往车辆实施全面细致的盘查工作。 Border enforcement agencies set up tightly controlled checkpoints at several strategic routes, conducting thorough inspections of every passing vehicle.
3. 维修技师用专用卡子将电线固定在线槽内，使整个配电系统的布线既整洁美观又安全规范。 The maintenance technician used specialized clips to secure the wires in the cable tray, making the whole distribution system’s wiring both tidy and compliant with safety standards.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, military, engineering, colloquial

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 维修师傅用卡子将管道接口处的密封圈牢牢固定，有效防止了液体渗漏问题的再度发生。(The repairman used a clip to firmly secure the sealing ring at the pipe joint, effectively preventing the liquid leakage issue from recurring.)
• 她的长发被风吹乱，便从包里摸出一个卡子，利落地将头发盘起，迅速恢复了整洁的仪态。(Her long hair was blown into disarray by the wind, so she rummaged in her bag for a clip and neatly pinned her hair up, quickly restoring a tidy appearance.)

Don't Say

• 文件的卡子 in formal writing — use 夹子/书夹/文件夹 in professional or office contexts; 卡子 is distinctly colloquial

Origin & History

卡 (stuck/clip/card) + 子 (diminutive suffix) — a small clip or device that grips/fastens; also a point where things are stopped

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal