斤 · jīn

axe; catty

Radical pronunciation

Radical summary

#69

Kangxi

4

Strokes

#54

Frequency

Visual hint

An axe blade or scale: an angled horizontal on top and a vertical like an axe handle.

Suggests an axe, chopping, measurement, or judgment.

varies

Trace the radical, simplified, traditional, and variant forms when available.

斤

3 examples

斤

jīn

catty (unit of weight); axe

HSK 5

新

xīn

new; fresh

HSK 1

断

duàn

to break/cut off; discontinuous

HSK 4

Axe/catty radical. Found in 斤 (axe/catty weight), 断 (to cut off), 新 (new).

A sharp axe raised to strike: each blow creates something new — like carving wood, 新 (new) comes from this.

刀: 斤 is a heavy axe with a right-angled top; 刀 is a lighter knife with a curved blade.

What radical is this: 斤?