DICTIONARY · CC-CEDICT

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

Full entryShow on map

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.

Explore the spelling

Mandarin tones

3–1–2–3 · zhan3 ding1 jie2 tie3

Compare attested words with these syllables ↗

Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

Connected dictionary

4character links

Explore word families ↗Compare pronunciations ↗Open character structure ↗

Counts describe dictionary records, not word frequency or semantic similarity. Source identities stay separate.

Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

斬釘截鐵 · find source passages ↗ · 斩钉截铁 · find source passages ↗

Explore Classical grammar ↗

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

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