How to Write 刊 (kān) — Meaning “to publish”

Imagine a newspaper (报刊) being printed with a knife (刂) cutting sheets of paper that look like a tree trunk (干). The 干 reminds you of a printing press, and the 刂 is the cutting blade that separates the pages.

Write the left component 干 with a short horizontal stroke at the top, a longer horizontal in the middle, and a vertical stroke that reaches through. Then add the 刂 on the right: first a short vertical hook, then a long vertical stroke ending with a sharp tip. Keep the two parts balanced and not too wide.

刈 (yì) means 'to mow' or 'to cut grass' and is composed of 乂 + 刂, while 刎 (wěn) means 'to cut one's throat' and is 勿 + 刂. Unlike these, 刊 uses 干 (a tool or trunk) and specifically relates to publishing or carving text. All three share the knife radical, but 刊 is the only one connected to printing.

刊 appears in words like 报刊 (newspapers and periodicals) and 刊登 (to publish an article). It is commonly used in news and media contexts, often referring to regular publications such as 周刊 (weekly magazine). Culturally, the character reflects China's long history of woodblock printing and the importance of periodicals in modern society.

Common words containing 刊 include: 报刊 (bào kān) — newspapers and periodicals; the press; 周刊 (zhōu kān) — weekly magazine / weekly publication; 刊登 (kān dēng) — to publish (in a newspaper or magazine).