刻
刻 (kè) means “quarter (of an hour)”. It is made of 亥 + 刂 and has 8 strokes, and is an HSK 3 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
Break 刻 into its parts
What 刻 is made of
- 亥 hài — 12th terrestrial branch
- 亠 tóu — lid
- 丶 — dot
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 亠 tóu — lid
- 刂 dāo — knife
- 丨 — vertical stroke
- 亅 — hook
Origin hint: 刂 gives the meaning, 亥 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
刻 stroke order
Example sentences
现在三点一刻。Xiànzài sān diǎn yī kè.It's a quarter past three now.
我们七点三刻见。Wǒmen qī diǎn sān kè jiàn.Let's meet at a quarter to eight.
Words with 刻
- 立刻lìkèimmediately
- 深刻shēnkèdeep
- 时刻shíkèmoment
- 刻苦kèkǔhardworking
- 雕刻diāokèto carve
- 刻不容缓kèbùrónghuǎnextremely urgent
- 片刻piànkèa moment
Also built with 亥
Quick facts
| Pinyin | kè |
|---|---|
| Meaning | quarter (of an hour); moment |
| Strokes | 8 |
| Radical | 刀 (knife, #18) |
| Pattern | Left–right |
| HSK | HSK 3 (exam 2025) · HSK 2 (2021) · Old HSK 3 |
Questions about 刻
What does 刻 mean?
刻 (kè) means “quarter (of an hour); moment”.
How many strokes does 刻 have?
刻 has 8 strokes.
What is the radical of 刻?
The radical of 刻 is 刀 (dāo, “knife”), Kangxi radical number 18.
What parts make up 刻?
刻 is made of 亥 (12th terrestrial branch) and 刂 (knife).
Which HSK level is 刻?
刻 is in HSK 3 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 3.
Learn 刻 with its group
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 12: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.