jiǎn

揃

Character · Verb · NounTraditional剪

cut; shear; divide; scissors

Tone colorsmāmámǎmàma

Meanings

3 senses · 7 examples
1.

verb

to cut off; to sever; to divide

literary

Literary usage (书面语), often implying a clean, decisive cut or division.

Jiǎn剪
duàn断
qíng情
sī丝
 ，
gè各
bèn奔
qián前
chéng程
 。

Cutting off the threads of love, each goes their separate way.

Jiǎn翦
Shāng商
 （
jiǎn剪
duàn断
 、
xiāo消
miè灭
Shāng商
cháo朝
 ）
 。

To eliminate the Shang dynasty (archaic usage).

2.

verb

to cut (with scissors); to trim; to clip; to shear

General verb for cutting with scissors or shears.

Wǒ我
zhèng正
zài在
jiǎn剪
tóu头
fa发
 。

I am getting a haircut.

Qǐng请
bāng帮
wǒ我
bǎ把
zhè这
zhāng张
zhǐ纸
jiǎn剪
kāi开
 。

Please help me cut this paper open.

Show 1 more example
Jiǎn剪
zhǐ指
jia甲
 。

To trim one's nails.

3.

noun

scissors; shears; clippers

Refers to the cutting tool itself. Often used in compounds.

Zhè这
bǎ把
jiǎn剪
hěn很
fēng锋
lì利
 。

These scissors are very sharp.

Wǒ我
xū需
yào要
mǎi买
yī一
bǎ把
lǐ理
fà发
jiǎn剪
 。

I need to buy a pair of hair-cutting shears.