Dictionary › 剑

剑

jiàn

HSK 6 Character Traditional 劍 Measure word 口、把

What 剑 means

1. double-edged sword
2. classifier for blows of a sword

Other readings

剑 is 多音字 — it is read more than one way, and the reading changes the meaning.

• jiànvariant of {剑|jiàn}

Example sentences

• 把剑给我。
  Bǎ jiàn gěi wǒ.
  Give me the sword.
• 我没有剑。
  I don't have a sword.
• 剑在哪里？
  Where's the sword?
• 我要一把剑！
  I want a sword!
• 此剑际遇不凡。
  Cǐ jiàn jìyù bù fán.
  This sword has a strange history.
• 克里斯扬起他的剑。
  Kè lǐ sī yángqǐ tā de jiàn.
  Chris swung his sword!

Words starting with 剑

• 剑桥Jiàn qiáoCambridge
• 剑客jiàn kèswordsman
• 剑桥大学Jiàn qiáo Dà xuéUniversity of Cambridge
• 剑术jiàn shùswordsmanship
• 剑拔弩张jiàn bá nǔ zhānglit. with swords drawn and bows bent (idiom); fig. a state of mutual hostility…
• 剑尖jiàn jiānpoint; sharp end
• 剑指jiàn zhǐ(fig.) to target; to set one's sights on (a goal, problem etc)
• 剑标jiàn biāo(typography) dagger (†)
• 剑法jiàn fǎfencing; sword-play
• 剑身jiàn shēnsword blade
• 剑道jiàn dàokendō (sports)
• 剑鱼jiàn yúswordfish
• 剑麻jiàn másisal hemp
• 剑龙jiàn lóngstegosaurus
• 剑川县Jiàn chuān XiànJianchuan, a county in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture 大理白族自治州
• 剑河县Jiàn hé XiànJianhe, a county in Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture 黔东南苗族侗族自治州
• 剑阁县Jiàn gé XiànJiange, a county in Guangyuan City 广元市
• 剑鱼座Jiàn yú zuòDorado (constellation)
• 剑齿虎jiàn chǐ hǔsaber-toothed tiger
• 剑走偏锋jiàn zǒu piān fēngthe sword moves with side stroke (modern idiom); fig. unexpected winning move…
• 剑柄jiàn bǐngsword hilt
• 剑眉星目jiàn méi xīng mù(idiom) straight, thick, upward-inclined eyebrows and eyes that are bright and full of…
• 剑走蜻蛉jiàn zǒu qīng língthe sword moves like a dragon-fly (modern idiom); fig. unexpected winning move…
• 剑鸻jiàn héng(bird species of China) common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula)

Words containing 剑

• 宝剑bǎo jiàn(double-edged) sword (esp. a valuable or famous one)
• 利剑lì jiànsharp sword
• 击剑jī jiànfencing (sport)
• 双刃剑shuāng rèn jiàndouble-edged sword (lit. and fig.)
• 刀光剑影dāo guāng jiàn yǐnglit. flash of knives and swords (idiom); fig. intense conflict
• 佩剑pèi jiànsword; (fencing) saber
• 刀剑dāo jiànsword
• 木剑mù jiànwooden sword
• 短剑duǎn jiàndagger
• 舞剑wǔ jiànto perform a sword-dance
• 花剑huā jiànfoil (fencing)
• 重剑zhòng jiànépée (fencing)
• 太极剑tài jí jiàna kind of traditional Chinese sword-play
• 尚方剑shàng fāng jiànimperial sword (giving bearer arbitrary powers); in fiction, Chinese version of 007's…
• 手里剑shǒu lǐ jiànstraight or circular throwing-knife used by ninja and samurai…
• 龙泉剑Lóng quán jiànLongquan Sword, legendary ancient Chinese sword of extraordinary craftsmanship
• 上方宝剑shàng fāng bǎo jiànimperial sword (giving bearer plenipotentiary powers)…
• 项庄舞剑Xiàng Zhuāng wǔ jiànlit. Xiang Zhuang performs the sword dance, but his mind is set on Liu Bang 刘邦…
• 唇枪舌剑chún qiāng shé jiàn(idiom) to cross verbal swords; to have a heated verbal exchange
• 口蜜腹剑kǒu mì fù jiànlit. honeyed words, a sword in the belly (idiom); fig. hypocritical and murderous
• 刻舟求剑kè zhōu qiú jiànlit. a notch on the side of a boat to locate a sword dropped overboard (idiom)…
• 铸剑为犁zhù jiàn wéi lí(idiom) to beat swords into plowshares; to turn from war to peace
• 刀枪剑戟dāo qiāng jiàn jǐ(idiom) melee combat weapons of ancient China, such as swords, spears and halberds
• 长嘴剑鸻cháng zuǐ jiàn héng(bird species of China) long-billed plover (Charadrius placidus)

Characters built on 佥

These share the phonetic component 佥 (qiān), which is why their readings rhyme. Learning them as a family is far cheaper than learning them one at a time.

• 险xiǎndanger; dangerous; rugged
• 检jiǎnto check; to examine; to inspect
• 签qiānto sign one's name; to write brief comments on a document…
• 脸liǎnface
• 捡jiǎnto pick up; to collect; to gather
• 敛liǎn(literary) to hold back; (literary) to restrain; to control (oneself); to collect…
• 俭jiǎn(bound form) frugal; thrifty
• 睑jiǎneyelid

Characters that look like 剑

Easy to confuse on sight. Compare them side by side once and the pair stops costing you.

• 例lìexample; precedent; rule
• 刺cìthorn; sting; thrust
• 勃bóflourishing; prosperous; suddenly
• 刹chàBuddhist monastery, temple or shrine (abbr. for 刹多罗
• 钳qiánpincers; pliers; tongs
• 剁duòto chop up (meat etc); to chop off (sb's hand etc)

Sounds the same

Read jiàn, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 见to see; to meet; to appear (to be sth)
• 件item; component; classifier for events, things, clothes etc
• 健healthy; to invigorate; to strengthen
• 建to establish; to found; to set up
• 键key (on a piano or computer keyboard); button (on a mouse or other device); chemical bond
• 渐gradual; gradually
• 践to fulfill (a promise); to tread; to walk
• 荐to recommend; to offer sacrifice (arch.); grass
• 鉴bronze mirror (used in ancient times); to reflect; to mirror
• 舰warship
• 箭arrow
• 溅to splash