坎儿

坎兒

kǎnr

noun #47,089

Meanings

1 critical juncture
2 key moment
3 tight spot

Characters

threshold, pit, critical point

diminutive suffix (érhuà)

Examples

事情正在坎儿上，别添乱。

Shìqíng zhèng zài kǎnr shàng, bié tiānluàn.

Things are at a critical juncture — don't make trouble.

这话可说到坎儿上了。

Zhè huà kě shuō dào kǎnr shàng le.

Those words hit exactly the right spot.

他正卡在一个坎儿上过不去。

Tā zhèng kǎ zài yī gè kǎnr shàng guòbuqù.

He's stuck on a tough hurdle and can't get past it.

Tips

register

Colloquial Beijing-flavored speech with the 儿化 (érhuà) suffix. From 坎 (kǎn, threshold/ditch) — a metaphorical 'sticking point' you have to get over.

usage

Often appears in 在坎儿上 (zài kǎnr shàng, at a critical point) or 过这个坎儿 (guò zhège kǎnr, get past this hurdle). Compare 关口 (guānkǒu, key juncture) — more formal.

Stroke Order

坎 kǎn

儿 ér