尖锐

尖銳
jiānruì
adjective HSK 7 #13,148

Meanings

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

Characters

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

Examples

Tā fāchū le yì shēng jiānruì de jiàoshēng.
She let out a piercing scream.
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 (máodùn jiānruì) means 'contradictions are acute' — a common phrase in Chinese political discourse.

Stroke Order

jiān
ruì