Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 砍 | kǎn |
| 砍斷 / 砍断 | kǎnduàn |
The verb 砍 refers to a forceful, heavy chopping motion, typically performed with an axe or a large knife. This differs from the precise cutting done with a kitchen knife. For specific culinary techniques, you might use other terms: 切块 (qiē kuài) to chop ingredients like chicken or tofu into pieces, 切丝 (qiē sī) to shred vegetables like carrots and 切片 (qiē piàn) to slice fruits or meats.
Which one should you use?
While 砍 implies a heavy, forceful chop, the verb 切 (qiē) is used for more precise slicing or cutting with a kitchen knife. If you want to describe chopping or hacking with significant force in a more formal context, you can use 斩 (zhǎn).
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 砍 is often paired with the directional complement 掉 (diào) to indicate the complete removal or disposal of the piece being chopped, such as in 砍掉.
How do you pronounce it?
kǎn
Did you know?
- While 砍 describes physical chopping, the word is also used in modern Chinese to describe 'haggling' or 'slashing' a price during a sale.
- The character for 'chop', 砍, contains the radical for 'stone' or 'rock', 石, suggesting the heavy, striking action of hitting a hard surface.
- The term 斩 is a more formal and powerful version of 'chop' that is often used in historical dramas to describe an executioner's blade.
Examples in context
- 還要花能量砍掉。It still costs energy to chop it off.This sentence is useful for demonstrating the use of 砍 when describing the energy required to chop something off.Tatoeba #13111770 by LeviHighway, translation #13537440 by LeviHighway
- 厨师用大刀斩鸡块。The chef chops the chicken into pieces using a cleaver.
- 用斧頭砍這棵樹。Yòng fǔtóu kǎn zhè kē shù.Chop this tree with an axe.
Example conversation
A man is working in the garden while a woman watches.
- 佳怡 Jiayi你在砍那根木頭嗎？Nǐ zài kǎn nà gēn mùtou ma?Are you chopping that piece of wood?
- 志强 Zhiqiang對，我正在砍柴。Duì, wǒ zhèngzài kǎnchái.Yes, I am chopping firewood.
- 佳怡 Jiayi志强，小心手喔。Zhìqiáng, xiǎoxīn shǒu o.Zhiqiang, be careful with your hands.
- 志强 Zhiqiang沒問題，我會小心的。Méi wèntí, wǒ huì xiǎoxīn de.No problem, I will be careful.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “chop” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 砍, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
