qiè HSK 5

English Meaning

📚 Example Sentences

妈妈切了一些水果。
Māmā qiē le yīxiē shuǐguǒ.
Mom cut some fruit.
他小心地切面包。
Tā xiǎoxīn de qiē miànbāo.
He carefully sliced the bread.
请帮我切这块蛋糕。
Qǐng bāng wǒ qiē zhè kuài dàngāo.
Please help me cut this piece of cake.
他切水果。
Tā qiē shuǐguǒ.
He cuts fruit.
妈妈切菜。
Māma qiē cài.
Mom cuts vegetables.

💡 Memory Tip

Imagine the letter 'q' in 切 (qiē) as a knife slicing through an 'i' (which looks like a fruit or stick). The character itself resembles a knife (刀) next to seven (七), hinting at cutting into parts—think of cutting something into seven pieces.

📝 Usage Notes

It is neutral in register, used in both spoken and written Chinese across formal and informal contexts. Common in daily life for describing cutting food (e.g., fruits, vegetables), materials, or in metaphorical uses like 'to cut off' in discussions.

📖 Grammar Points

Often used as a transitive verb followed by an object (e.g., 切水果). Can be combined with resultative complements like 开 (切开, 'to cut open') or 断 (切断, 'to cut off'). In the example, 切到了 uses 到 as a complement to indicate the result of cutting (hitting the finger).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese cuisine, precise cutting (切) is a fundamental skill, reflecting the importance of texture and presentation in food preparation. The word may also appear in idioms or proverbs related to decisiveness or separation.

🔄 Similar Words

Similar to 割 (gē), which means 'to cut' but often implies a deeper or more forceful action like cutting grass or injuring; 切 focuses more on slicing or dicing, especially in culinary contexts. Differs from 剪 (jiǎn, 'to cut with scissors'), which involves shearing.

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