刻 kè quarter (hour)
quarter (hour); to carve
怎么记住“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.
部件结构
形声 · Meaning + sound
One part gives the meaning, the other gives the sound.
刻 = 亥 pig + 刂 knife
- 亥 pig sound
- 刂 knife meaning
At the barbecue the chef lifts the roast pig onto the table and with one knife cuts it into four neat quarters.
How it came to be
The knife gives the meaning and the left part gives the sound.
用法
- 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.
含“刻”的词语
- 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
例句
- 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.