刀 (dāo) - Meaning, Stroke Order, Words & Examples

Q: What does 刀 (dāo) mean in Chinese?

The Chinese character 刀 (dāo) means "Knife; blade". It is an HSK Level 3 character, with 2 strokes and the radical 刀.

Q: How do you write 刀 stroke by stroke?

刀 has 2 strokes. The radical is 刀. 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 刀 and ⺈?

刀 (dāo) and ⺈ 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 刀?

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

Q: What common words use 刀?

Common words containing 刀 include: 菜刀 (cài dāo) — kitchen knife; cleaver; 小刀 (xiǎo dāo) — small knife / pocket knife; 剪刀 (jiǎn dāo) — scissors.

How to Write 刀

The character 刀 (dāo) is written with 2 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 刀 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

刀 is pronounced dāo in Mandarin Chinese. It means Knife; blade.

As an HSK Level 3 character, 刀 is an intermediate-level character.

Common Words with 刀

菜刀 cài dāo

kitchen knife; cleaver

小刀 xiǎo dāo

small knife / pocket knife

剪刀 jiǎn dāo

scissors

Example Sentences

菜刀在厨房里。

cài dāo zài chú fáng lǐ

The kitchen knife is in the kitchen.

我用小刀削铅笔。

wǒ yòng xiǎo dāo xiāo qiān bǐ

I use a small knife to sharpen the pencil.

剪刀在桌子上。

jiǎn dāo zài zhuō zi shàng

The scissors are on the table.

Similar Characters

⺈ dāo

刁 diāo

刃 rèn

Practice Writing 刀 (dāo)

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

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Frequently Asked Questions about 刀

What does 刀 (dāo) mean in Chinese?

How do you write 刀 stroke by stroke?

What's the difference between 刀 and ⺈?

What mistakes do learners make writing 刀?

What common words use 刀?

How to Write 刀 (dāo)