. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
you have here. The definition of the word
will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
Translingual
Han character
點 (Kangxi radical 203, 黑 +5, 17 strokes, cangjie input 田火卜口 (WFYR ), four-corner 61360 , composition ⿰黑 占 )
Derived characters
References
Kangxi Dictionary: page 1519 , character 28
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 48083
Dae Jaweon: page 2053, character 16
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 7, page 4745, character 11
Unihan data for U+9EDE
Chinese
Glyph origin
Old Chinese
頕
*taːm
煔
*ɦlaːm, *hljems, *hl'eːms
炶
*ɦlaːm
詀
*rteːm, *rdeːms, *teːm, *tʰjeb
站
*rteːms
檆
*sreːm
黏
*nem
粘
*nem
枮
*slem, *ʔl'ɯm
霑
*tem
沾
*tem, *teːms, *tʰeːm
覘
*tems, *tʰem
鉆
*tʰem, *ɡrem, *tʰeːb
占
*ʔljem, *tjems
颭
*tjemʔ
佔
*tjems, *teːm
苫
*hljem, *hljems
痁
*hljem, *teːms
蛅
*njem
阽
*lem
敁
*teːm
掂
*tiːm
點
*teːmʔ
玷
*teːmʔ, *teːms
店
*tiːms
坫
*tiːms, *tim
黇
*tʰeːm
扂
*deːmʔ
拈
*neːm
鮎
*neːm
砧
*ʔl'ɯm
笘
*teːb
跕
*teːb, *tʰeːb
貼
*tʰeːb
帖
*tʰeːb
怗
*tʰeːb
呫
*tʰeːb
Phono-semantic compound (形聲 / 形声 , OC *teːmʔ ) : semantic 黑 ( “ black ” ) + phonetic 占 ( OC *ʔljem, *tjems) – black dots.
Etymology 1
(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium .)
Pronunciation
Mandarin
(Standard )
(Pinyin ) : diǎn (dian3 )
(Zhuyin ) : ㄉㄧㄢˇ
(Chengdu , Sichuanese Pinyin ) : dian3
(Dungan , Cyrillic and Wiktionary ) : дян (di͡an, II)
Cantonese
(Guangzhou –Hong Kong , Jyutping ) : dim2
(Taishan , Wiktionary ) : iam2
Gan (Wiktionary ) : dien3
Hakka
(Sixian , PFS ) : tiám
(Meixian , Guangdong ) : diam3
Jin (Wiktionary ) : die2
Northern Min (KCR ) : dǎng
Eastern Min (BUC ) : dēng / diēng
Puxian Min (Pouseng Ping'ing ): deng3 / dieng3 / ting3
Southern Min
(Hokkien , POJ ) : tiám
(Teochew , Peng'im ) : diam2 / diang2
Wu (Northern , Wugniu ) : 5 ti / 3 tie / 3 tien / 3 ti / 1 tie
Xiang (Changsha , Wiktionary ) : die3
Note :
dēng - vernacular;
diēng - literary.
Note :
deng3 - vernacular (e.g. 點心 / 点心 (diǎnxīn ));
dieng3 - literary;
ting3 - “to nod”.
Note :
diam2 - Chaozhou, Shantou, Jieyang, Chaoyang, Raoping, Pontianak;
diang2 - Chenghai.
Note : 1 tie — Chongming, "A bit".
Baxter –Sagart system 1.1 (2014 )
Character
點
Reading #
1/1
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)
diǎn
Middle Chinese
‹ temX ›
Old Chinese
/*tˁemʔ/
English
black spot
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system:
* Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence;
* Square brackets "" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. * as coda may in fact be *-t or *-p;
* Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix;
* Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary;
* Period "." indicates syllable boundary.
Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character
點
Reading #
1/1
No.
16721
Phonetic component
占
Rime group
談
Rime subdivision
2
Corresponding MC rime
點
Old Chinese
/*teːmʔ/
Definitions
點
dot ; spot ; speck
在 地圖 上 ,城鎮 是 用 小 紅 點 標 出 的 。 [MSC , trad. ] 在 地图 上 ,城镇 是 用 小 红 点 标 出 的 。 [MSC , simp. ] Zài dìtú shàng, chéngzhèn shì yòng xiǎo hóng diǎn biāo chū de. On the map towns were marked by a red dot .
船 在 遠處 的 水平線 上 成了 一 個 小 點 。 [MSC , trad. ] 船 在 远处 的 水平线 上 成了 一 个 小 点 。 [MSC , simp. ] Chuán zài yuǎnchù de shuǐpíngxiàn shàng chéngle yī ge xiǎo diǎn . The ship became a mere dot on the horizon.
place ; point ; spot
point ; aspect
他 在 這 點 上 很 堅持 。 [MSC , trad. ] 他 在 这 点 上 很 坚持 。 [MSC , simp. ] Tā zài zhè diǎn shàng hěn jiānchí. He is most insistent on this point .
o'clock
See also: 點鐘
我 今天 6 點 去 看 他 。 [MSC , trad. ] 我 今天 6 点 去 看 他 。 [MSC , simp. ] Wǒ jīntiān 6 diǎn qù kàn tā. I am going to see him today at six o'clock .
現在 幾 點 了 ?六 點 了 。 [MSC , trad. ] 现在 几 点 了 ?六 点 了 。 [MSC , simp. ] Xiànzài jǐ diǎn le? Liù diǎn le. What time is it? It's six o'clock .
點 零 兩 點 / 点 零 两 点 [Cantonese ] ― dim2 leng4 loeng5 dim2 ― almost two o'clock (literally, “one o'clock plus a bit, two o'clock ”)
time
飯點 / 饭点 ― fàndiǎn ― mealtime
( mathematics ) point
我們 可以 用 一 條 直線 把 點 A 和 B 聯結 起來 。 [MSC , trad. ] 我们 可以 用 一 条 直线 把 点 A 和 B 联结 起来 。 [MSC , simp. ] Wǒmen kěyǐ yòng yī tiáo zhíxiàn bǎ diǎn A hé B liánjié qǐlái. We can join point A to point B with a straight line.
( mathematics ) decimal point
三 點 二 四 / 三 点 二 四 ― sān diǎn èr sì ― three point two four
點 分 十進制 / 点 分 十进制 ― diǎn fēn shíjìnzhì ― dot -decimal notation (lit. dot -delimited decimal )
percent ; percentage point
我們 今年 的 利潤 是 八 個 點 。 [MSC , trad. ] 我们 今年 的 利润 是 八 个 点 。 [MSC , simp. ] Wǒmen jīnnián de lìrùn shì bā ge diǎn . (please add an English translation of this usage example)
drop
雨點 / 雨点 ― yǔdiǎn ― raindrop
( Chinese calligraphy ) a dot stroke (㇔ )
to nominate ; to mention (one's name)
老師 點 你 回答 問題 。 [MSC , trad. ] 老师 点 你 回答 问题 。 [MSC , simp. ] Lǎoshī diǎn nǐ huídá wèntí. The teacher asked you to answer the question.
to count
點 鈔/ 点 钞 ― diǎn chāo ― to count banknotes
to choose ; to select ; to order ( food )
Synonym: 叫 ( jiào )
他們 點 了 一 些 食物 和 一 大 碗 湯 。 [MSC , trad. ] 他们 点 了 一 些 食物 和 一 大 碗 汤 。 [MSC , simp. ] Tāmen diǎn le yī xiē shíwù hé yī dà wǎn tāng. They ordered some food and a big bowl of soup.
to nod
他 點 一下 頭 ,指明 了 這 個 地方 。 [MSC , trad. ] 他 点 一下 头 ,指明 了 这 个 地方 。 [MSC , simp. ] Tā diǎn yīxià tóu, zhǐmíng le zhè ge dìfāng. He indicated the place by a nod of his head.
to point
to tap ; to touch
to click
See also: 點擊
to light ; to ignite
點 香/ 点 香 ― diǎn xiāng ― to burn incense
a little ; a bit ; some
你 能 再 給 我 點 茶 嗎 ? [MSC , trad. ] 你 能 再 给 我 点 茶 吗 ? [MSC , simp. ] Nǐ néng zài gěi wǒ diǎn chá ma? Would you please give me some more tea?
我 想要 點 蛋糕 。/ 我 想要 点 蛋糕 。 ― Wǒ xiǎngyào diǎn dàngāo. ― I want some cake.
他 有 點 蒼白 。/ 他 有 点 苍白 。 ― Tā yǒu diǎn cāngbái. ― He's a little pale.
今天 有 點 冷 。/ 今天 有 点 冷 。 ― Jīntiān yǒu diǎn lěng. ― It's a little cold today.
( finance ) point ( in a stock market index )
( Cantonese ) to dip in (sauce)
( Cantonese ) to trick ; to misguide
老點 / 老点 [Cantonese ] ― lou5 dim2 ― (please add an English translation of this usage example)
( Cantonese ) to command
( Hong Kong Cantonese , neologism ) extreme (Classifier : 個 / 个 c )
攰 到 一 個 點 / 攰 到 一 个 点 [Cantonese ] ― gui6 dou3 jat1 go3 dim2 ― extremely tired (literally, “tired to an extreme”)
Usage notes
點 / 点 (diǎn ) is often used for "o'clock", following the numbered hour: e.g. "three o'clock" is 三點 / 三点 (sāndiǎn ). 點鐘 / 点钟 (diǎnzhōng ) would be used in the expression "1 o'clock" or "2 o'clock", in order to avoid confusion between 一點 / 一点 (yīdiǎn ) (meaning: "a bit") and 一點 / 一点 (yīdiǎn ) (meaning: "1 o'clock"). When spoken out, 一點 / 一点 (yīdiǎn ) (meaning: "1 o'clock") is usually pronounced yī diǎn , without the tone sandhi, while 一點 / 一点 (yīdiǎn ) (meaning: "a bit") is pronounced yì diǎn , following the sandhi rule.
When followed by the minutes, 點 / 点 (diǎn ) is used instead of 點鐘 / 点钟 (diǎnzhōng ) as in 十二 點 三十 分 . In formal writing (but not in speech), 時 / 时 (shí ) is used to denote hours, e.g. 十二 時 三十 分 .
Synonyms
Dialectal synonyms of
點 (“(decimal) point”)
Dialectal synonyms of
蘸 (“to dip in”)
Variety
Location
Words
Formal (Written Standard Chinese )
蘸1
Northeastern Mandarin
Singapore
點
Central Plains Mandarin
Wanrong
蘸1
Xi'an
蘸1
Jianghuai Mandarin
Nanjing
蘸1
Cantonese
Guangzhou
蘸2 , 點
Hong Kong
蘸2 , 點
Taishan
蘸3 , 點
Kaiping (Chikan)
點
Gan
Nanchang
蘸1
Lichuan
蘸1
Hakka
Meixian
蘸1
Miaoli (N. Sixian)
蘸1 , 搵
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
蘸1 , 搵
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
蘸1 , 搵
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
蘸1 , 搵
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
蘸1 , 搵
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
搵
Eastern Min
Fuzhou
搵
Southern Min
Xiamen
搵
Quanzhou
搵
Zhangzhou
搵
Tainan
搵 , 滒
Penang (Hokkien)
搵
Singapore (Hokkien)
搵
Manila (Hokkien)
搵
Chaozhou
搵
Shantou
搵
Leizhou
搵
Haikou
搵
Wu
Shanghai
蘸1
Shanghai (Chongming)
蘸1
Ningbo
搵 , 蘸1
Coordinate terms
(basic character strokes ) 點 / 点 ( diǎn ) , 橫 / 横 , 豎 / 竖 ( shù ) , 提 , 捺 ( nà ) , 撇 , 折 , 鉤 / 钩 ( gōu ) , 彎 / 弯 ( wān ) , 斜
Compounds
Etymology 2
Fusion of 底物 (MC tejX mjut ), literally “what thing” (Guo, 2003 ).
Often related to 怎 (zam2 ) due to similar syllable structure.
Pronunciation
Definitions
點
( Cantonese ) how
番茄 應該 點 整 ? [Cantonese , trad. ] 番茄 应该 点 整 ? [Cantonese , simp. ] faan1 ke4-2 jing1 goi1 dim2 zing2 ? How should I prepare tomatoes?
呢個 點 算 係 錯 呢 ? [Cantonese , trad. ] 呢个 点 算 系 错 呢 ? [Cantonese , simp. ] ni1 go3 dim2 syun3 hai6 co3 ne1 ? How is this wrong? (lit. "How does this count as wrong?")
佢 點 都 會 用 筷子 食飯 。 [Cantonese , trad. ] 佢 点 都 会 用 筷子 食饭 。 [Cantonese , simp. ] keoi5 dim2 dou1 wui5 jung6 faai3 zi2 sik6 faan6 . He always insists on using (lit. "regardless of how , will use") chopsticks to eat.
佢 無論 點 都 會 搞錯 嘅 。 [Cantonese , trad. ] 佢 无论 点 都 会 搞错 嘅 。 [Cantonese , simp. ] keoi5 mou4 leon6 dim2 dou1 wui5 gaau2 co3 ge3 . He is guaranteed to mess it up no matter what (lit. "no matter how ") .
點 都 唔 肯 / 点 都 唔 肯 [Cantonese ] ― dim2 dou1 m4 hang2 ― unwilling, no matter what
你 想 點 呀 ?/ 你 想 点 呀 ? [Cantonese ] ― nei5 soeng2 dim2 aa3 ? ― What do you want?
琴日 個 蛋糕 整 成 點 呀 ? [Cantonese , trad. ] 琴日 个 蛋糕 整 成 点 呀 ? [Cantonese , simp. ] kam4 jat6 go3 daan6 gou1 zing2 sing4 dim2 aa3 ? How did the cake from yesterday go?
濕水 炮仗 點 會 響 ? [Cantonese , trad. ] 湿水 炮仗 点 会 响 ? [Cantonese , simp. ] From: 許冠傑 , 半斤八兩 ( bànjīnbāliǎng ) sap1 seoi2 paau3 zoeng3 dim2 wui5 hoeng2 ? How is a wet firecracker going to go off?
全部 要 加 慘 到 極 ,陀累 全家 ,靠 份 糧 點 夠 食 ,卒之 查 到 豉油 都 冇 滴 [Cantonese , trad. ] 全部 要 加 惨 到 极 ,陀累 全家 ,靠 份 粮 点 够 食 ,卒之 查 到 豉油 都 冇 滴 [Cantonese , simp. ] From: 許冠傑 , 加價熱潮 cyun4 bou6 jiu3 gaa1 caam2 dou3 gik6 , to4 leoi4 cyun4 gaa1 , kaau3 fan6 loeng4 dim2 gau3 sik6 , zeot1 zi1 caa4 dou3-2 si6 jau4 dou1 mou5 dik1 All of the prices have to going up; it's extremely miserable. I'm burdening my whole family. How is there enough to live off my salary? Finally, I found out there isn't even a drop of soy sauce.
Synonyms
Dialectal synonyms of
怎樣 (“how”)
Variety
Location
Words
Classical Chinese
如何 , 何以 , 若何
Formal (Written Standard Chinese )
如何 , 怎樣
Northeastern Mandarin
Beijing
怎麼樣兒 , 怎樣兒
Taiwan
怎麼樣 , 怎樣 , 如何
Malaysia
怎麼樣 , 怎樣 , 如何
Singapore
怎麼樣 , 怎樣 , 如何
Jilu Mandarin
Jinan
怎麼樣
Central Plains Mandarin
Xi'an
咋樣兒
Southwestern Mandarin
Chengdu
咋個樣 , 咋個樣子 , 啷個樣 , 啷個樣子
Wuhan
麼樣 , 麼樣子 , 哪樣 , 哪樣子
Guilin
啷子樣
Jianghuai Mandarin
Yangzhou
怎們樣 , 哪一個樣 , 哪一個樣子
Hefei
怎樣
Cantonese
Guangzhou
點樣 , 點
Hong Kong
點樣 , 點
Hong Kong (Kam Tin Weitou)
點樣
Macau
點樣 , 點
Guangzhou (Panyu)
點
Guangzhou (Zengcheng)
點樣 , 點樣做
Foshan
點
Foshan (Shatou, Nanhai)
點
Foshan (Shunde)
點 , 點樣
Foshan (Sanshui)
點
Foshan (Mingcheng, Gaoming)
點
Zhongshan (Shiqi)
點子
Zhongshan (Huancheng)
點子
Zhongshan (Nanlang)
點子
Zhongshan (Xiaolan)
點
Zhongshan (Dongsheng, Xiaolan)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Tanbei, Xiaolan)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Henglan)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Dongfeng)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Nantou)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Fusha)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Shalang)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Gangkou)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Huangpu)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Langwang, Minzhong)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Minzhong)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Banfu)
點 , 點樣
Zhongshan (Tanzhou)
點 , 點樣
Zhuhai (Qianshan, Xiangzhou)
點樣
Zhuhai (Shangheng, Doumen; Tanka)
點
Zhuhai (Doumen)
點
Taishan
幾何
Singapore (Guangfu)
點樣 , 點
Gan
Nanchang
啷樣 , 啷
Hakka
Meixian
仰般 , 仰仔
Miaoli (N. Sixian)
仰般 , 仰仔
Pingtung (Neipu; S. Sixian)
仰仔
Hsinchu County (Zhudong; Hailu)
仰般
Taichung (Dongshi; Dabu)
仰脣 , 仰
Hsinchu County (Qionglin; Raoping)
仰般 , 仰般形
Yunlin (Lunbei; Zhao'an)
仰子
Jin
Taiyuan
咋 , 咋底
Northern Min
Jian'ou
何如 , 何如事
Eastern Min
Fuzhou
將樣 , 蔣樣 , 蔣其
Southern Min
Xiamen
按怎 , 怎樣 , 啥款
Quanzhou
障仔 , 怎樣 , 按怎 , 啥款
Zhangzhou
按怎 , 怎樣 , 啥款
Tainan
按怎 , 怎仔樣 , 怎樣仔 , 啥款
Penang (Hokkien)
按怎
Singapore (Hokkien)
按怎
Manila (Hokkien)
障仔 , 怎樣
Chaozhou
在生樣 , 乜生樣 , 做呢
Shantou
在生
Jieyang
在生 , 在生樣
Haifeng
做呢 , 做呢樣
Singapore (Teochew)
做呢 , 在生
Zhongshan Min
Zhongshan (Longdu, Shaxi)
哪 , 哪樣
Wu
Shanghai
哪能 , 哪能介 , 哪能樣子
Suzhou
捺亨
Wenzhou
訾那 , 訾那能
Xiang
Changsha
何是 , 何裡
Shuangfeng
麼家
Compounds
點樣 / 点样 ( dim2 joeng6-2 , “ how ” ) ( Cantonese ) 點算 / 点算 ( dim2 syun3 , “ what to do ” ) ( Cantonese ) 點解 / 点解 ( dim2 gaai2 , “ why ” ) ( Cantonese )
See also
Japanese
Kanji
點
(Hyōgai kanji , kyūjitai kanji, shinjitai form 点 )
Kyūjitai form of 点
Readings
Go-on : てん ( ten ) ←てん ( ten , historical ) ←てむ ( temu , ancient )
Kan-on : てん ( ten ) ←てん ( ten , historical ) ←てむ ( temu , ancient )
Kun : さす ( sa su , 點す ) 、たてる ( ta teru , 點てる ) 、つく ( tsu ku , 點く ) 、つける ( tsu keru , 點ける ) 、とぼす ( tobo su , 點す ) 、ともす ( tomo su , 點す ) 、ぼち ( bochi , 點 )
Korean
Etymology
From Middle Chinese 點 (MC temX ).
Hanja
點 (eumhun 점 점 ( jeom jeom ) )
hanja form? of 점 ( “ point ; dot ; spot ; speck ” )
Compounds
Compounds
초점 (焦點 , chojeom , “focal point ”)
시점 (時點 , sijeom , “point (in time)”)
점검 (點檢 , jeomgeom , “inspection ”)
허점 (虛點 , heojeom , “loophole ”)
점수 (點數 , jeomsu , “point ; score ”)
관점 (觀點 , gwanjeom , “point of view ”)
점심 (點心 , jeomsim , “lunch ”)
채점 (採點 , chaejeom , “grading ”)
거점 (據點 , geojeom , “stronghold ; foothold ”)
장점 (長點 , jangjeom , “advantage ”)
단점 (短點 , danjeom , “disadvantage ”)
결점 (缺點 , gyeoljeom , “flaw ; defect ”)
원점 (原點 , wonjeom , “origin ”)
약점 (弱點 , yakjeom , “weakness , weak point ”)
강점 (强點 /強點 , gangjeom , “strong point ”)
만점 (滿點 , manjeom , “perfect score ”)
정점 (頂點 , jeongjeom , “peak ”)
시점 (視點 , sijeom , “perspective ”)
점화 (點火 , jeomhwa , “ignition ”)
흠점 (欠點 , heumjeom , “flaw ”)
시점 (始點 , sijeom , “starting point ”)
References
국제퇴계학회 대구경북지부 (國際退溪學會 大邱慶北支部) (2007). Digital Hanja Dictionary, 전자사전/電子字典 .
Supreme Court of the Republic of Korea (대한민국 대법원 , Daehanmin'guk Daebeobwon ) (2018). Table of hanja for personal names (인명용 한자표 / 人名用漢字表 , Inmyeong-yong hanja-pyo ), page 37.
Vietnamese
Han character
點 : Hán Việt readings: điểm [ 1] [ 2] [ 3]
點 : Nôm readings: chấm [ 2] [ 3] [ 4] , đếm [ 2] [ 3] [ 4] , chúm [ 4] , đém [ 4] , đêm [ 5] , đóm [ 4]
chữ Hán form of điểm ( “ a dot , a point , a period ” ) .
chữ Hán form of điểm ( “ to identify , to choose , to nominate ” ) .
Nôm form of đếm ( “ to count , to number , to enumerate ” ) .
Nôm form of chấm ( “ to dip in, to punctuate ” ) .
References