裁 (cái) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 裁 (cái) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 裁 (cái) means "To cut (cloth/paper); to reduce; to judge". It is an HSK Level 5 character, with 12 strokes and the radical 衣.

Q: How do you write 裁 stroke by stroke?

裁 has 12 strokes. The radical is 衣. Follow the standard stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. Practice with stroke animation to build muscle memory.

Q: What's the difference between 裁 and 衮?

裁 (cái) and 衮 look similar but differ in meaning and usage. Check the radical and stroke count to tell them apart.

Q: What mistakes do learners make writing 裁?

Common mistake: incorrect stroke order or miswriting the radical 衣. Pay attention to the proportion between components — keep the radical compact.

Q: What common words use 裁?

Common words containing 裁 include: 裁判 (cái pàn) — Referee; judge; umpire; 裁剪 (cái jiǎn) — To cut out (fabric or patterns); 裁员 (cái yuán) — Layoffs; to reduce staff.

How to Write 裁

The character 裁 (cái) is written with 12 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 衣 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

Meaning & Pronunciation

裁 is pronounced cái in Mandarin Chinese. It means To cut (cloth/paper); to reduce; to judge.

As an HSK Level 5 character, 裁 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 裁

裁判 cái pàn

Referee; judge; umpire

裁剪 cái jiǎn

To cut out (fabric or patterns)

裁员 cái yuán

Layoffs; to reduce staff

Example Sentences

裁判吹了哨子。

cái pàn chuī le shào zi

The referee blew the whistle.

她在裁剪布料。

tā zài cái jiǎn bù liào

She is cutting the fabric.

公司决定裁员。

gōng sī jué dìng cái yuán

The company decided to lay off staff.

Similar Characters

衮 gǔn

衰 shuāi

衷 zhōng

Practice Writing 裁 (cái)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 裁 with real-time feedback.

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Frequently Asked Questions about 裁

What does 裁 (cái) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 裁 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 裁 and 衮?

What mistakes do learners make writing 裁?

What common words use 裁?

How to Write 裁 (cái)