刻

kè
HSK 3
#618 most
frequent character
quarter (hour), moment, to carve
noun
verb
Measure Word

Character breakdown

Source: Make Me a Hanzi.

刻 has 刂 knife as meaning part and 亥 hài as sound part. It first meant to carve or engrave. From that came to record, then a time unit, and finally quarter of an hour.

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Example Sentences

现在是三点一刻。
xiànzài shì sān diǎn yīkè 。
It is a quarter past three now.
他在石头上刻了一个图案。
tāzài shítou shàngkè le yígè túàn 。
He carved a pattern on the stone.
请等我一刻钟。
qǐng děng wǒ yīkè zhōng 。
Please wait for a quarter of an hour.

Words with similar meanings

切qiē
to cut
A more general term for cutting, used in various contexts.
刻画kèhuà
to depict
More specific to artistic or expressive engraving.

Homophones

HSK 2
课kè
subject, course, class, lesson
客kè
customer, visitor, guest
可kè
used in 可汗[ke4 han2]

Words Starting With 刻

刻苦kè kǔ
hardworking; assiduous
刻不容缓kè bù róng huǎn
to brook no delay; to demand immediate action

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Public Lists with 刻

Time & Dates
Days of the week, months, seasons, telling time, and related expressions.
Numbers & Counting
Numerals, counting words, and measure words frequently used with numbers.
HSK 3
All words for the HSK 3 test