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中文

A tool for teachers · new Beta

A student asks how 突然 is different from 忽然.You answer in two seconds.

404 sets of the near-synonyms teachers get asked about most, one card each. Search in class, copy it into your slides, teach — no more looking things up on the spot.

Buy · $20, yours for goodTry three sets free ↓

Launch price $20 (was $24) · WeChat/Alipay ¥128 (was ¥148) · pay once, keep it for good

What a card looks like

突然tūrán忽然hūrán

Say this in class

突然又能当形容词又能当副词；忽然是副词，只能放在动词前面。

Examples (6 in all, with pinyin and English)

  • 他突然站了起来。忽然也可以
  • 我忽然想起来，钥匙忘在家里了。
  • 这个消息太突然了。✗太忽然了

A real student mistake✗ 这件事很忽然。→ ✓ 这件事很突然。

Also: what the words share, key differences, shared and own word partners, 6 exercises, a teacher's note, a 4-page PPT

Every set has

In class

  1. 1

    Search

    Type a word, its pinyin, its English or a word partner; the set is there in two seconds.

  2. 2

    Explain

    Read the one line, show two or three examples, point at the usual mistake.

  3. 3

    Practise

    Put the exercises on screen and open the answers one by one.

How to use →

Buy

Launch pricePay once · yours for good

Buy early, use it now: the price may go up as the handbook grows, and everyone who bought gets every update free.

WeChat / Alipay

¥128was ¥148

Scan, pay, upload the receipt — I open it once I confirm

Card (Visa, Mastercard…)

$20was $24

Opens the moment you pay

Not sure yet? Start with the three free sets: 切／剁／剪、举办／举行／进行、突然／忽然

One payment, lifetime access, nothing renews. Cards go through Stripe; WeChat and Alipay orders open once I confirm them. All 404 sets are here, and I have not reviewed every card yet. If something looks wrong, press Report and tell me.

Try three sets first

突然／忽然, 举办／举行／进行, and 切／剁／剪 (with pictures) are fully open; half of the other sets show their one-line difference. The real tool is right below — use it.

How to use
语义侧重刀剪七式Awaiting review
qiē
切
cut (with a knife)
动词 v.HSK 5
duò
剁
chop
动词 v.Off-list
jiǎn
剪
cut (with scissors)
动词 v.HSK 5
In common

都是用刀或剪刀把东西弄开，工具和动作不同，一般不能换。

Say this in class

切＝菜刀往下，一刀一刀，切成片或块；剁＝大刀用力，一下一下剁碎；剪＝用剪刀（头发、指甲、纸）。

切 = the knife goes down, one cut at a time, into slices or pieces. 剁 = chop hard, again and again, until it is in tiny bits. 剪 = cut with scissors (hair, nails, paper).

Key differences
  1. 1
    含义侧重先看工具：用剪刀就是剪；用菜刀往下，一刀一刀是切，用力剁很多下是剁。
    我去理发店剪头发了。
  2. 2
    搭配对象切多是菜、水果，切成片、块、丝；剁多是肉、排骨，剁成馅；剪多是头发、指甲、纸。
    妈妈在厨房剁肉馅。
Pictures · 5 · Tap to enlarge, copy into your slides
Common collocations

切

切西瓜切菜切成片切土豆丝

剁

剁肉馅剁碎剁排骨剁鸡块

剪

剪头发剪指甲剪纸剪短
Examples · 6
  1. 1
    西瓜我来切，一人一块。
    Xīguā wǒ lái qiē, yì rén yí kuài.
    I'll cut the watermelon. One piece each.
  2. 2
    把土豆切成片，再炒一下。
    Bǎ tǔdòu qiē chéng piàn, zài chǎo yíxià.
    Cut the potato into slices, then stir-fry it.
  3. 3
    厨房里咚咚咚的，妈妈在剁肉馅呢。
    Chúfáng li dōngdōngdōng de, māma zài duò ròuxiàn ne.
    That banging in the kitchen? My mom is chopping meat for dumplings.
  4. 4
    排骨有骨头，得用大刀剁开。
    Páigǔ yǒu gǔtou, děi yòng dà dāo duò kāi.
    Ribs have bones, so you need a big knife to chop them.
  5. 5
    我昨天去理发店剪头发了。
    Wǒ zuótiān qù lǐfàdiàn jiǎn tóufa le.
    I got my hair cut yesterday.
    ✗ 切头发：头发用剪刀
  6. 6
    你的指甲太长了，该剪了。
    Nǐ de zhǐjia tài cháng le, gāi jiǎn le.
    Your nails are too long. Time to cut them.
Students often say
✗切头发✓剪头发
Teacher's note

“切头发”几乎是必然的偏误：头发是三级词，剪要到五级，剁在1–6级里没有。先教“用剪刀就是剪”。

Exercises6 items · tap to reveal each answer
  1. 1.孩子的头发太长了，周末带他去短一点。
  2. 2.晚饭前，你帮我把黄瓜成片。
  3. 3.厨房里“咚咚咚”响了半天，妈妈在肉馅呢。
  4. 4.蛋糕成八块，一人一块。
  5. 5.春节的时候，奶奶用红纸了一个“福”字。
  6. 6.排骨有骨头，切不动，得用大刀。