COMPONENTS & ETYMOLOGY
How 刺 is built
Traditional etymology note: 刂 (knife) suggests the meaning, while 朿 suggests the pronunciation.
More “ci” characters →Link copied to clipboard!
How to Write 刺 (cì) — Chinese Character Stroke Order, Meaning & Practice Sheet
thorn
cìTone 4 (Falling)Drop your pitch sharply and firmly.
Loading stroke data…
Loading handwriting practice…
Save or share this character guide
Link copied to clipboard!
STROKE BY STROKE
Static stroke diagrams
Follow all 8 strokes in the correct order.
Download PDF
StrokeSheetCharacter Writing Worksheet
cì
刺
thorn
Common words
cì jī
刺激
to provoke; to irritate; to upset; to stimulate; to excite; irritant
chōng cì
冲刺
(sports) to sprint; to spurt; to dash; to put in a big effort to achieve a goal as the deadline approaches
cì ěr
刺耳
ear-piercing
cì gǔ
刺骨
piercing; cutting; bone-chilling; penetrating (cold)
cì xiù
刺绣
to embroider; embroidery
cì yǎn
刺眼
to dazzle; to offend the eyes; dazzling; harsh (light)
Follow the stroke order, then write it on your own.
刺
刺
刺
刺
刺
刺
刺
刺
LEARNING TIP
Remember 刺
Say “cì” aloud as you replay the animation. Then hide the model and write the 8 strokes from memory. Short, repeated practice builds a stronger visual and motor connection.
Practice on CanvasWORDS WITH 刺
Common words and phrases
cì jī
to provoke; to irritate; to upset; to stimulate; to excite; irritant
chōng cì
(sports) to sprint; to spurt; to dash; to put in a big effort to achieve a goal as the deadline approaches
cì ěr
ear-piercing
cì gǔ
piercing; cutting; bone-chilling; penetrating (cold)
cì xiù
to embroider; embroidery
cì yǎn
to dazzle; to offend the eyes; dazzling; harsh (light)
IN CONTEXT
Example sentences
这个字是“刺”。
Zhège zì shì “cì”.
This character is “刺”.
我正在学习“刺”字。
Wǒ zhèngzài xuéxí “cì” zì.
I am learning the character “刺”.
请写一遍“刺”。
Qǐng xiě yí biàn “cì”.
Please write “刺” once.
Frequently asked questions
How many strokes are in 刺?
刺 is written with 8 strokes.
What does 刺 (cì) mean?
刺 (cì) means thorn.
What is the radical of 刺?
The radical of 刺 is 刂, associated with Not yet classified.