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斬釘截鐵

简斩钉截铁 · 繁斬釘截鐵

Mandarin · pinyin zhǎn dīng jié tiě

(lit.) to chop the nail and slice the iron (idiom)
(fig.) resolute and decisive; unhesitating; categorical

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Characters in this entry

斬: Look up this written character
釘: Look up this written character
截: jié · cut off, stop, obstruct, intersect
鐵: Look up this written character
斩: zhǎn · cut, chop, sever; behead
钉: dīng · nail, spike; pursue closely
铁: tiě · iron; strong, solid, firm

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

3–1–2–3 · zhan3 ding1 jie2 tie3

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 1 sense · 1 Cantonese reading

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

zaam2 deng1 zit6 tit3

Cantonese word readings for 斬釘截鐵. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

CanCLID contributors · CC BY 4.0 · source & license · Data pack

zaam2 deng1 zit6 tit3

Pleco · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Word reading; meanings not aligned.

Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

phrase

(idiomatic) resolute and decisive; categorical

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

Wiktionary contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source & license · Data pack