Writing Balance Rule: The left side (束 compressed) is narrower and slightly raised, while the right side (刀) anchors the lower right with its vertical hook.
1. Meaning
thorn, prick, sting
to pierce, to stabto criticize, to provokespy, undercover agent
Noun and VerbNeutral#nature#actions#sharp objects
Sample Usage
玫瑰花有刺。
méiguī huā yǒu cī.
Rose flowers have thorns.
小心别刺到手。
xiǎoxīn bié cì dào shǒu.
Be careful not to prick your hand.
2. Sound
/[tsʰɿ˥]/Tone: 55
刺
cīci1
|
++
¯(55)
=cī
Initial Consonant
c
Type: Aspirated Dental Sibilant
Sounds like: ts (sharp unvoiced affricate)
Aspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Sharp burst of air through teeth! Tissue MUST flutter strongly.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Blade of the tongue touches the back of the upper teeth, releasing with a sharp burst of air.
Final Rhyme
i (-i*)
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: apical vowel i (buzzing sound behind teeth)
Note: Written as 'i (-i*)', pronounced as rounded 'i' [y].
Mouth Shape Guide: Combine initial 'zh-' (jr) with final '-i' (rr/zz).
Common Learner Trap: Do NOT pronounce '-i' as 'ee' after zh-! Keep your tongue in the consonant position and buzz 'rr/zz'.
Tone
T1 (55)
5 → 5 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high, level pitch (55), resembling a musical note sustained at the top of your vocal range without rising or falling.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse the apical vowel 'i' after 'c' with the English 'ee' sound in 'see'; the tongue stays flat and behind the teeth, producing a buzzing friction.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Hold your hand flat and steady at eye level, representing the high, unchanging pitch of Tone 1.
3. Writing
Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 8 strokes
Writing Balance Rule: The left side (束 compressed) is narrower and slightly raised, while the right side (刀) anchors the lower right with its vertical hook.
4. Components
Radical刂 · Knife Radical (knife, cutting tool)
Semantic Clue (形旁):刂 (indicates cutting or piercing action)
A bundle of wood (束) combined with a knife (刂) creates the image of sharpening or whittling wood into a sharp point or thorn.
束 bundle / tree trunk context
刂 knife / cutting edge
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
4· Phonetic Root: 朿 (cì)
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)
Origin: Originally depicted a sharp knife or pointed tool used for piercing. Over time, the phonetic element 束 was combined with the knife radical 刂 to represent piercing thorns and stabbing actions.
Semantic Evolution: Shifted from physical sharp instruments and thorns to abstract meanings such as spying, probing, and criticizing.
Ancient assassins were historically referred to as '刺客' (cìkè), literally meaning 'stabbing guests'.
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
thứ
Mandarin high level tone corresponds to Sino-Vietnamese high level or sắc tone contexts.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: シ (shi) / Kun: とげ (toge)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
자
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story
Imagine holding a BUNDLE of thorny branches (束) and accidentally cutting your finger with a KNIFE (刂), causing a sharp PRICK (cī).
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
刺
cīthorn, stabStandard root character with knife and bundle components.
喇
lǎhorn, trumpetReplaces the knife/bundle with mouth radical for sound words.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
束(shù)
束 lacks the knife radical (刂) on the right side and means bundle.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
玫瑰花枝上有很尖的[___]。
Clue: cī
Common Learner Pitfall
Confusing the high first tone cī with the fourth tone cì (which means to assassinate or pierce), or forgetting the knife radical on the right.
Memory Prompts
Recognition: What does 刺 mean when seen in the word 玫瑰刺 (rose thorn)?
Production: How do you write the character for 'thorn/stab' (cī) containing the knife radical?
Real-World Video Context
Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.
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刺cīthorn, splinter, stab, prick
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