How do you say "thorn" in Chinese?

刺

cì

Noun Hanzi

In Chinese, "thorn" is 刺 (cì).

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Pronunciation

The pinyin "cì" takes fourth tone, meaning snapping downward fast, like giving a short order. Keep the 1 syllable of cì distinct rather than blending them together.

Writing and usage

刺 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.

Example sentence

一根尖锐的刺刺穿了她的手指。

yī gēn jiān ruì de cì cì chuān le tā de shǒu zhǐ 。

A sharp thorn pricked her finger.

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How to remember 刺

Attach "cì" to the moment when a sharp thorn pricked her finger; the pairing is hard to forget.

Related words

Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.

Questions about 刺

How do you pronounce 刺?

The pinyin "cì" takes fourth tone, meaning snapping downward fast, like giving a short order. Keep the 1 syllable of cì distinct rather than blending them together.

Is 刺 formal or casual?

刺 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.

How is 刺 used in Chinese?

刺 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 一根尖锐的刺刺穿了她的手指。 (A sharp thorn pricked her finger.).

Where can I practice Chinese words for free?

You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.

"Thorn" in other languages

Curated by Jack Ratcliffe

This word is part of the vocabulary taught in the Chinese language learning game Noun Town, where words are introduced through play rather than memorisation. Want to play the full game? Get Noun Town on Steam.

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