Dictionary › 点

点

diǎn

Old HSK 1 HSK 3.0 character level 1 Character Traditional 點

点 (diǎn) means "o'clock; point; a little". It is an HSK 3.0 level 1 word, and was HSK 1 in the old six-level list.

What 点 means

1. to touch briefly; to tap
2. to mark with a dot; to check off (on a list)
3. to order (food etc); to select
4. to mention; to bring up (a topic or person)
5. to hint at; to imply
6. to administer (eye medicine etc) in drops
7. to light (a fire, a lamp etc); to ignite
8. to nod (one's head) in agreement; to beckon by moving (one's hand) up and down
9. point; dot; spot; speck
10. dot stroke in Chinese characters
11. mathdecimal point
12. point in time or space
13. (after a number) o'clock
14. a small amount; a bit; (after a verb or adjective) a bit more
15. classifier for small amounts

How 点 is used in grammar

点 is a grammar word. Each link goes to its own section: what it does in that pattern, the structure, three example sentences with pinyin, and the mistake to avoid.

• Reading Prices and Clock Times (HSK 1)

The official HSK 3.0 grammar outline lists it at level 1, measure words (时量词).

Example sentences

• 快点！
  Hurry up.
• 快点。
  Hurry up.
• 快点!
  Hurry up.
• 快点啦！
  Hurry!
• 几点了？
  What time is it?
• 走慢点。
  Walk more slowly.

Words starting with 点

• 点头diǎn tóuto nod
• 点心diǎn xinlight refreshments; pastry; dim sum (in Cantonese cooking)
• 点缀diǎn zhuìto decorate; to adorn; sprinkled
• 点点diǎn diǎnpoint; speck
• 点燃diǎn ránto ignite; to set on fire; aflame
• 点评diǎn píngto comment; a point by point commentary
• 点名diǎn míngroll call; to mention sb by name; (to call or praise or criticize sb) by name
• 点着diǎn zháoto light (a candle, cigarette etc)
• 点滴diǎn dīa drip; a little bit; intravenous drip (used to administer drugs)
• 点子diǎn zispot; point; dot
• 点菜diǎn càito order dishes (in a restaurant)
• 点火diǎn huǒto ignite; to light a fire; to agitate
• 点点滴滴diǎn diǎn dī dībit by bit; dribs and drabs; the little details
• 点出diǎn chūto point out; to indicate
• 点击数diǎn jī shùnumber of clicks; number of hits (on a website)
• 点数diǎn shùto count and check; to tally; points (collected in some bonus scheme etc)
• 点播diǎn bōwebcast; to request item for broadcast on radio program; dibble seeding
• 点亮diǎn liàngto illuminate; to turn on the lights; to light (a blaze)
• 点灯diǎn dēngto light a lamp
• 点球diǎn qiúpenalty kick
• 点拨diǎn bōto give instructions; to give advice
• 点烟diǎn yānto light a cigarette
• 点发diǎn fāto fire in bursts; shooting intermittently
• 点明diǎn míngto point out

Words containing 点

• 有点yǒu diǎna little
• 重点zhòng diǎnimportant point; main point; focus; key (project etc); to focus on; to put the emphasis on
• 特点tè diǎncharacteristic; trait; feature
• 缺点quē diǎnweak point; fault; shortcoming
• 优点yōu diǎnmerit; benefit; strong point
• 观点guān diǎnpoint of view; viewpoint; standpoint
• 标点biāo diǎnpunctuation; a punctuation mark; to punctuate
• 焦点jiāo diǎn(lit. and fig.) focal point; focus
• 要点yào diǎnmain point; essential
• 终点zhōng diǎnthe end; end point; finishing line (in a race)
• 弱点ruò diǎnweak point; failing
• 百分点bǎi fēn diǎnpercentage point
• 地点dì diǎnplace; site; location
• 差点chà diǎnalmost; nearly
• 景点jǐng diǎntourist attraction; scenic spot
• 早点zǎo diǎnbreakfast
• 热点rè diǎnhot spot; point of special interest
• 指点zhǐ diǎnto point out; to indicate; to give directions
• 起点qǐ diǎnstarting point
• 站点zhàn diǎna place set up to serve a specific function…
• 试点shì diǎntest point; to carry out trial; pilot scheme
• 考点kǎo diǎnexam site; test center; key topic (to be tested in an exam)
• 半点bàn diǎnthe least bit
• 亮点liàng diǎnhighlight; bright spot

Characters built on 占

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

• 店diàninn; old-style hotel; (bound form) shop; store
• 黏niánsticky; glutinous; (Taiwan) to adhere; to stick on; to glue
• 扂diàndoor latch
• 玷diànblemish; disgrace; flaw in jade
• 拈niānto nip; to grasp with the fingers; to fiddle with
• 鲇niánsheatfish (Parasilurus asotus); oriental catfish; see also 鲶
• 坫diànstand for goblets

Characters that look like 点

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

• 美měibeautiful; very satisfactory; good; to beautify
• 真zhēnreally; truly; indeed
• 桌zhuōtable; desk; classifier for tables of guests at a banquet etc
• 柬jiǎncard; note; letter
• 衷zhōnginner feelings
• 咸xiánall; everyone; each

Sounds the same

Read diǎn, tone for tone, but written differently.

• 典canon; law; standard work of scholarship
• 踮to stand on tiptoe; Taiwan pr. diàn
• 碘iodine (chemistry)
• 琠gem used as ear plug; jade earrings
• 奌variant of 点

Where 点 is taught

In the GraphChinese course it is part of Time Expressions (HSK 1), HSK 1 Characters · Set 6 (HSK 1), each one a topic in the dependency graph of HSK 1–6 that opens only once its prerequisites are solid.

Go deeper

• Every HSK 1 word, with the rest of its level.
• How characters are built from components.
• How to learn Chinese characters.
• The four tones and the neutral tone, to read diǎn correctly.
• Look up another word in the free dictionary.