卡
qiǎ
#716 most
frequent character
to block, to be stuck, to be wedged
Character breakdown
Source: Make Me a Hanzi.
卡 kǎ first meant a government checkpoint for guards or taxes; its shape is unclear, though one scholar reads it as 'stuck in the middle'. From the checkpoint came 'to stop' and 'to get stuck'. The senses 'card' and 'calorie' were borrowed for their sound, with no link to the shape.
Ask DeepSeek
Your word lists
Sign in to add this word to your private lists.