HanziGuru.裁 · cái
裁
cái[cai2]Tone 2

to cut, to trim, or to reduce

HSK 5
Guru Deep Dive

English · to cut, to trim, or to reduce

Cached lesson
1 / 1
Topology:Left-right
Strokes:12
Writing Balance Rule: The left side (衣) is slightly narrower and vertically compressed, while the right side (𢆉) is broader and anchors the character's balance.
1. Meaning

to cut out (as a dress), to cut, to trim

to reduce or diminishto cut back on staff or expensesdecision or judgment
VerbNeutral#clothing#actions#governance
Sample Usage
  • 这家公司决定裁员。
    zhè jiā gōng sī jué dìng cái yuán.
    This company decided to lay off staff.
  • 她正在裁剪布料做衣服。
    tā zhèng zài cái jiǎn bù liào zuò yī fu.
    She is cutting fabric to make clothes.
2. Sound
/[t͡sʰaɪ̯³⁵]/Tone: 35
裁
cáicai2
++
´(35)
=cái
Initial Consonant
c
Type: Aspirated Dental Sibilant
Sounds like: ts sound
Aspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Sharp burst of air through teeth! Tissue MUST flutter strongly.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip placed against the back of the lower teeth, releasing a sharp burst of air.
Final Rhyme
ai
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: ai rhymes with high
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'eye'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T2 (35)
2nd Tone (Mid-Rising)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 2 rises like asking 'Huh?' or 'What?' in English.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing the unaspirated 'z' (zái) with the strongly aspirated 'c' (cái).
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A rising hand gesture moving upward diagonally, mimicking a questioning tone in English.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 12 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left side (衣) is slightly narrower and vertically compressed, while the right side (𢆉) is broader and anchors the character's balance.

4. Components

Radical 衣 · Clothes Radical (Clothing or fabric)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 衣 (Indicates clothing, fabric, and cutting material.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 𢆉 (original sound: cai)

A tailor uses a tool (right side) on fabric or clothing (left side 衣) to cut and shape garments.

  • 衣 Clothing or fabric
  • 𢆉 Phonetic and structural component on the right
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally combined the semantic element of clothing (衣) with a phonetic indicator, illustrating the ancient act of cutting fabric with a blade.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from physical cloth cutting to abstract reductions like cutting staff (layoffs) and making judgments or decisions.

  • Tailoring has always been associated with precision and rule-making in Chinese culture.
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
tài
Similar rising contour.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: サイ / Kun: たつ
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
재
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

Picture a master tailor holding giant scissors, ready to CUT (cái) fabric from a pile of CLOTHES (衣).

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
裁
cáito cut, to reduceBase character with clothing radical.
载
zàito carry, yearUses vehicle radical (车) instead of clothing.
截
jiéto cut off, sectionUses bird radical (隹) on the right.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
载(zài)
载 features the vehicle radical (车) at the bottom, whereas 裁 has the clothing radical (衣) on the left.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
这家工厂最近开始[___]减 Pinyin: cái yuán。
Clue: cái
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the left-side radical with similar looking radicals like 示 or 衣, leading to incorrect stroke order.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see 裁, what are its primary meanings related to fabric and organizations?
Production: How do you write the character for cutting or reducing staff (cái)?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

Search theme
Accent preference

Results are live YouTube search — accents and levels aren't verified.

裁cáito cut, to trim, or to reduce
Speed:
Searching YouTube for native pronunciation videos...
0 / 0
Watch on YouTubeMore Results on YouTube