刺

cī
#1,056 most
frequent character
(onom.) whoosh

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

刺 joins 朿 cì, a sharp spear, with 刂 knife. 朿 also supplies the sound. The first meaning was to stab with a weapon; it grew to pierce, assassinate, and a thorn or sting. Read cī, it is just a sound word, borrowed for its sound.

刺 as a component in other characters

picture1 character
莿

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Same Characters, Different Readings

HSK 6
刺cì
thorn, splinter, to stab, to pierce

Homophones

差cī
used in 參差|参差[cen1ci1]

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