刻 kè quarter (hour)
quarter (hour); to carve
How to remember 刻: 亥 pig + 刂 knife = quarter (hour). At the barbecue the chef lifts the roast pig onto the table and with one knife cuts it into four neat quarters.
Component breakdown
刻 = 亥 pig + 刂 knife
- 亥 pig
- 刂 knife
At the barbecue the chef lifts the roast pig onto the table and with one knife cuts it into four neat quarters.
How it is used
- Knife radical 刂 - to carve/engrave: 刻字 (kè zì) engrave characters; figuratively 刻画 (kèhuà) to portray vividly.
- Time senses: 一刻 (yí kè) = 15 minutes (三点一刻 sān diǎn yí kè = 3:15), and 时刻 (shíkè) a moment, 立刻 (lìkè) immediately.
- 深刻 (shēnkè) 'deep/profound' comes from things being carved in - 印象深刻 (yìnxiàng shēnkè) a deep impression.
- 刻苦 (kèkǔ) hardworking and 刻意 (kèyì) deliberately both build on 'cut into' - effort and intent, not literal carving.
Words with 刻
- 时刻shíkètimeHSK 5
- 深刻shēnkèprofoundHSK 5
- 立刻lìkèimmediatelyHSK 5
- 此刻cǐkèthis momentHSK 6
- 片刻piànkèshort period of timeHSK 6
- 刻意kèyìintentionallyHSK 7
- 刻画kèhuàto portrayHSK 7
- 刻苦kèkǔhardworkingHSK 7
- 刻不容缓kèbùrónghuǎnto brook no delayHSK 8
- 刻舟求剑kèzhōu-qiújiànliterally a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboardHSK 8
- 苛刻kēkèharshHSK 9
- 雕刻diāokèto carveHSK 9
Example sentences
- 现在是九点一刻。 Xiànzài shì jiǔ diǎn yī kè.It's a quarter past nine.
- 比赛的关键时刻到了。 Bǐsài de guānjiàn shíkè dào le.The crucial moment in the game has come.