尖锐

尖銳

jiānruì

adjective HSK 7-9 #13,148

Meanings

1 sharp; piercing
2 incisive; acute (of criticism or conflict)

Characters

Both characters mean 'sharp' - together they describe extreme sharpness, whether physical, auditory, or intellectual.

Examples

她发出了一声尖锐的叫声。

Tā fāchū le yì shēng jiānruì de jiàoshēng.

She let out a piercing scream.

记者提出了几个尖锐的问题。

Jìzhě tíchū le jǐ ge jiānruì de wèntí.

The reporter raised several pointed questions.

Tips

usage

尖锐 has three common uses: sounds (piercing, shrill), questions/criticism (pointed, incisive), and conflicts (acute, intense). 矛盾尖锐 means 'contradictions are acute' - a common phrase in Chinese political discourse.

Stroke Order

尖 jiān

锐 ruì