斩钉截铁 (zhǎndīngjiétiě) · resolute

斩钉截铁 (zhǎndīngjiétiě) means “resolute; decisive; firm”. It is written with 4 characters: 斩 (to chop) + 钉 (nail) + 截 (to cut off) + 铁 (iron). It is an old HSK 6 word (HSK 2.0).

How 斩钉截铁 is built

The characters

斩 zhǎn · to chop

What 斩 is made of

车chē — cart
- 七qī — seven
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 乚 — hook stroke
- 十 — ten
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 丨 — vertical stroke
斤jīn — a catty (about 500 grams)
- 厂chǎng — cliff
- 下xià — below

钉 dīng · nail

What 钉 is made of

钅jīn — metal
丁dīng — male adult

截 jié · to cut off

What 截 is made of

十 — ten
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 丨 — vertical stroke
隹zhuī — short-tailed bird
- 亻rén — person
戈gē — spear

铁 tiě · iron

What 铁 is made of

钅jīn — metal
失shī — to lose
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 夫fū — man
  - 一 — horizontal stroke
  - 大dà — big

Origin hint: 钅 gives the meaning, 失 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

Example sentences

他斩钉截铁地说：“不行！”Tā zhǎndīngjiétiě de shuō:" bù xíng!"He said firmly, "No!"

她斩钉截铁地拒绝了。Tā zhǎndīngjiétiě de jùjué le.She refused flatly.

Questions about 斩钉截铁

What does 斩钉截铁 mean?

斩钉截铁 (zhǎndīngjiétiě) means “resolute; decisive; firm”.

How do you pronounce 斩钉截铁?

斩钉截铁 is pronounced zhǎndīngjiétiě.

Which HSK level is 斩钉截铁?

斩钉截铁 is in Old HSK 6.

Related words

Learn 斩钉截铁 with its group

It is part of Old HSK 6 · Group 228: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.

Open the group