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A2 verb #6,000 most common 9 min read

开刀

kaidiao Top 6,000

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips 开刀 in 30 Seconds

Explanation 开刀 in your Level:

At the A1 level, you just need to know that '开刀' (kāidāo) means 'to have surgery' or 'to operate.' It is made of '开' (open) and '刀' (knife). You might hear it when talking about someone being in the hospital. For example, '他住院了，要开刀' (He is in the hospital and needs surgery). At this level, don't worry too much about complex grammar. Just remember it is a verb for doctors and patients. It is a very useful word because health is a common topic. Even if you don't use it, you will definitely hear it in movies or from friends talking about their families. It is much easier to say than the formal word '手术' (shǒushù). Just think of it as 'opening with a knife.'

At the A2 level, you should learn the basic sentence pattern for '开刀'. Since it is a 'verb-object' word, you cannot say 'doctor operate patient' directly. You must use '给' (gěi - for/to). For example: '医生给他开刀' (The doctor operates on him). You should also know that '开刀' can be used for both small and big surgeries. If you go to a dentist to have a tooth removed and they have to cut the gum, you might hear someone use this word. It's also important to recognize the past tense: '开过刀' (has had surgery before). This is a common question in medical forms. You are moving from just knowing the word to using it in simple, correct sentences about health and hospitals.

At the B1 level, you start to see '开刀' as a 'separable verb' (离合词). This means you can put things in the middle of '开' and '刀'. For example, if a surgery takes three hours, you say '开了三个小时的刀'. If it's the first time someone has surgery, you say '开第一次刀'. You should also be aware of the difference between '开刀' and the noun '手术'. You can say '手术很成功' (The surgery was successful) but you wouldn't usually say '开刀很成功'. At this level, you should also be introduced to the metaphorical meaning: to target someone for punishment. For example, '老板拿他开刀' (The boss made an example of him). This is a very common idiomatic use in workplace and social contexts.

At the B2 level, you should be comfortable with the metaphorical use of '开刀' in professional and political contexts. It is frequently used in news reports about crackdowns on corruption or corporate restructuring. The structure '拿...开刀' (ná... kāidāo) is a key idiomatic expression. It implies that the person or group being 'cut' is a 'tumor' or a 'problem' that needs to be removed to save the rest of the organization. You should also understand the nuances between '开刀', '动手术', and '施行手术'. You might use '开刀' in a heated discussion about reform: '我们必须拿这个落后的制度开刀' (We must take a knife to this backward system). Your usage should reflect an understanding of both the literal medical sense and the figurative 'reform/punishment' sense.

At the C1 level, you should appreciate the linguistic efficiency of '开刀'. It is a punchy, evocative word. In literature or high-level journalism, it can be used to describe 'cutting deep' into a social issue. You should be able to use it in complex sentences involving passive structures or as part of a larger medical or political discourse. For instance, '在这个问题上开刀，无异于自寻死路' (Taking a knife to this issue is no different from seeking one's own death). You should also be familiar with related professional terms like '主刀' (lead surgeon) or '开刀房' (operating room - though 手术室 is more common). Your ability to switch between the colloquial '开刀' and more academic medical terminology will show a high level of linguistic flexibility.

At the C2 level, '开刀' becomes a tool for precise rhetorical effect. You understand its historical baggage—how it represents the shift toward modern surgery in China—and you can use it to create vivid metaphors in speech or writing. You might use it to discuss the 'surgical precision' of a policy or the 'bloody' nature of a political purge. At this level, you can also explore the etymological roots and how '刀' appears in other medical compounds. You should be able to discuss medical ethics, the risks of '开刀', and the societal implications of healthcare reform using this word as a base. You are not just using the word; you are manipulating its connotations to suit a sophisticated narrative or argument, whether in a medical, social, or political context.

Practice it Examples Notes & Tips

开刀 in 30 Seconds

开刀 (kāidāo) is the common spoken Chinese verb for performing or undergoing surgery, literally meaning 'to open with a knife.'
It is a separable verb, meaning you must use specific patterns like '给...开刀' for doctors and can insert words in the middle.
Beyond medicine, it metaphorically means to target or punish someone first to serve as a warning to others in a group.
At the A2 level, focus on its medical use and the '给' pattern, while being aware of its metaphorical 'first strike' meaning.

The Chinese term 开刀 (kāidāo) is a highly versatile and essential verb for anyone navigating daily life in a Chinese-speaking environment. At its most fundamental level, it describes the act of performing or undergoing a surgical operation. The term is a Verb-Object (VO) compound, where 开 (kāi) means 'to open' and 刀 (dāo) means 'knife.' Literally, it translates to 'opening with a knife,' which provides a vivid, albeit slightly graphic, mental image of the surgical process. While the formal medical term for surgery is 手术 (shǒushù), which is a noun, 开刀 serves as the active, colloquial counterpart. You will hear this word in hospitals, pharmacies, and family dinner conversations when discussing health issues. However, its utility extends far beyond the operating theater. In modern Chinese, it has developed a powerful metaphorical meaning: 'to make an example of someone' or 'to start a crackdown by punishing a specific target.' This dual nature makes it a fascinating word to master.

Medical Context: Used when a doctor performs surgery or a patient undergoes it. It is the standard spoken way to refer to 'going under the knife.'

医生说明天要给我爷爷开刀。 (The doctor said he will operate on my grandfather tomorrow.)

Metaphorical Context: Used in business, politics, or social discipline to indicate that a specific person or group is being targeted first for punishment or reform to warn others.

公司裁员，先拿迟到的人开刀。 (When the company laid people off, they started with those who were always late.)

Understanding the cultural weight of surgery in China is also important. Historically, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) focused on herbal remedies and acupuncture, often avoiding invasive procedures. The term 开刀 became much more common with the introduction of Western medicine. Today, it is used without hesitation, but it still carries a sense of gravity—it implies a serious condition that medicine alone cannot fix. When a Chinese person says someone needs to 开刀, it usually prompts immediate concern and sympathy from the listener.

别担心，现在这种小手术开刀很快就好了。 (Don't worry, this kind of minor surgery is very quick these days.)

Grammar Note: As a VO compound, you cannot put an object directly after '开刀'. You cannot say '开刀他'. You must use the '给/为 (gěi/wèi) + Person + 开刀' structure.

主刀医生正在为病人开刀。 (The lead surgeon is currently operating on the patient.)

Using 开刀 (kāidāo) correctly requires understanding its grammatical structure as a separable verb. In Chinese, many verbs are actually a verb and an object joined together. This means you can't simply attach another object to the end of the word. Instead, you need to use specific sentence patterns to indicate who is performing the surgery and who is receiving it. For English speakers, this is often the biggest hurdle, as we are used to saying 'The doctor operated on him.'

Pattern 1: The Patient as Subject: When the person undergoing surgery is the subject, use: [Patient] + [Time/Status] + 开刀.

他下个星期要开刀。 (He has to have surgery next week.)

Pattern 2: The Doctor as Subject: When the doctor is the subject, you must use a preposition: [Doctor] + 给/为 + [Patient] + 开刀.

张医生给很多病人开刀过。 (Dr. Zhang has operated on many patients.)

Another interesting aspect of 开刀 is its ability to take modifiers between the two characters. Because it is a verb-object construction, you can place duration or frequency markers in the middle. For example, if you want to say someone had surgery once, you can say '开过一次刀' (kāi guò yī cì dāo). This 'splitting' of the word is a hallmark of natural-sounding Chinese.

他这辈子开过三次刀。 (He has had surgery three times in his life.)

Pattern 3: Figurative Punishment: The '拿...开刀' structure is used to show who is being targeted first. It literally means 'to take [someone] to open the knife on.'

新经理决定拿财务部开刀来整顿公司。 (The new manager decided to start with the finance department to reorganize the company.)

Finally, consider the aspect markers like 了 (le), 过 (guò), and 在 (zài). These are usually placed after the verb part '开' or after the whole compound depending on the emphasis. If the surgery is completed, '开完刀了' (kāi wán dāo le) is a very common way to say 'finished the operation.'

In the real world, 开刀 (kāidāo) is ubiquitous in any conversation involving health and hospitals. If you are in China and visit a hospital (医院 yīyuàn), you might hear doctors discussing cases in the hallway using this term. It is less formal than '进行手术' (jìnxíng shǒushù), which you might see in a written medical report, but it is the standard for spoken communication between doctors and patients.

At the Hospital: You will hear nurses asking patients if they have '开过刀' (had surgery before) during intake interviews.

请问您以前开过刀吗？有药物过敏吗？ (May I ask if you have had surgery before? Do you have any drug allergies?)

Beyond the medical field, 开刀 is a favorite in Chinese news headlines and political commentary. When the government announces a new anti-corruption campaign, they often '开刀' a high-ranking official first to signal their seriousness. This usage evokes the image of a surgeon cutting out a tumor to save the body, which is a powerful metaphor for 'cleaning up' a corrupt system.

In the News: Headlines might read: '政府拿高房价开刀' (Government targets high housing prices first).

这次反腐运动首先拿贪官开刀。 (This anti-corruption movement first made an example of corrupt officials.)

In casual social settings, people use 开刀 to talk about minor procedures that English speakers might not even consider 'surgery,' such as removing a mole or a wisdom tooth. The threshold for using '开刀' is lower in Chinese than 'major surgery' is in English. If a knife or scalpel is involved, '开刀' is appropriate.

我只是去医院把那个小肿块开刀切掉了。 (I just went to the hospital to have that little lump surgically removed.)

TV & Media: Medical dramas like '外科风云' (Surgeons) use this word constantly in high-stakes scenes.

One of the most frequent errors English speakers make with 开刀 (kāidāo) is treating it as a transitive verb. In English, we say 'The doctor operated him.' If you translate this literally into Chinese as '医生开刀他' (Yīshēng kāidāo tā), it is grammatically incorrect and sounds very jarring to native ears. Because '开刀' is a Verb-Object compound (Open + Knife), the 'object' slot is already filled. You cannot add a second object directly after it.

Mistake 1: Direct Object Placement: Incorrect: 医生开刀病人 (The doctor operates the patient). Correct: 医生给病人开刀.

❌ 医生明天开刀我。 (Incorrect)
✅ 医生明天给我开刀。 (Correct)

Another common mistake is confusing the noun 手术 (shǒushù) with the verb 开刀. While they both relate to surgery, they cannot be used interchangeably in every context. '手术' is the name of the procedure. You can 'do' (做) a surgery, but you can't 'do' an '开刀'. Conversely, you can't use '手术' as a verb by itself. Think of '手术' as 'a surgery' and '开刀' as 'to operate.'

Mistake 2: Noun vs. Verb: Incorrect: 他的开刀很成功 (His operate was successful). Correct: 他的手术很成功 (His surgery was successful).

❌ 我怕手术。 (Wait, this is actually okay, but '我怕开刀' is more common for the act itself.)

Lastly, learners often forget that 开刀 can be split. If you want to say 'operated for five hours,' you must put the time in the middle: '开了五个小时的刀'. Putting it at the end ('开刀了五个小时') is acceptable in very casual speech but is grammatically weaker. Mastering these 'separable verb' patterns is the key to moving from HSK 2/3 to a more advanced level of fluency.

In Chinese, there are several ways to discuss surgery and medical procedures. Choosing the right one depends on the level of formality and whether you are focusing on the action or the event itself. 开刀 (kāidāo) is the most common spoken verb, but it is not the only option.

Comparison: 开刀 vs. 动手术 (dòng shǒushù): 开刀: Very colloquial, literal ('open with knife').
动手术: Slightly more formal but still common in speech. '动' (dòng) means to move or act upon. It implies a significant procedure.

他决定不动手术，而是选择保守治疗。 (He decided not to have surgery, but to choose conservative treatment.)

Comparison: 开刀 vs. 做手术 (zuò shǒushù): 做手术: The most neutral and common way to say 'perform/have surgery.' It uses the generic verb '做' (to do). Suitable for almost any situation.

For highly formal or written contexts, such as medical journals or news reports describing a complex procedure, you will see 施行手术 (shīxíng shǒushù) or 进行手术 (jìnxíng shǒushù). These are the equivalent of 'to perform a surgical intervention' and are rarely used in casual conversation.

Comparison: 开刀 vs. 执刀 (zhídāo): 执刀: Literally 'to hold the knife.' This specifically refers to the person who is the lead surgeon. It is a very professional term.

今天的手术由张教授亲自执刀。 (Today's surgery will be personally performed by Professor Zhang.)

In the metaphorical sense (punishing someone), alternatives include 惩罚 (chéngfá) 'to punish' or 整治 (zhěngzhì) 'to fix/discipline'. However, none of these carry the same 'first strike' connotation that 拿...开刀 possesses.

How Formal Is It?

Fun Fact

Before modern surgery, '开刀' was sometimes used to describe the act of execution by beheading, though today it is almost exclusively medical or metaphorical.

Pronunciation Guide

UK /kʰaɪ tɑʊ/

US /kʰaɪ tɑʊ/

Both syllables receive equal stress as they are both first tone (kāidāo).

Rhymes With

该 (gāi) 拍 (pāi) 买 (mǎi) 包 (bāo) 高 (gāo) 毛 (máo) 猫 (māo) 草 (cǎo)

Common Errors

Pronouncing 'dao' in the 4th tone (dào) which means 'road' or 'to arrive'.
Failing to aspirate the 'k' in 'kai'.
Using a falling tone on 'kai' like 'kài'.
Confusing the 'd' sound with a hard English 'd' (it should be unaspirated 't').
Blending the two words without a clear tone break.

Difficulty Rating

Reading 2/5

Characters are simple and frequently seen in news and health articles.

Writing 3/5

Writing '开' is easy, '刀' is very easy, but remembering the VO structure is key.

Speaking 2/5

Common in daily speech; tones are straightforward (1st-1st).

Listening 2/5

Clear pronunciation makes it easy to identify in medical contexts.

What to Learn Next

Prerequisites

医生医院身体疼病

Learn Next

手术麻醉住院出院康复

Advanced

微创并发症执刀临床整治

Grammar to Know

Separable Verbs (VO Compounds)

开了三次刀 (kāi le sān cì dāo)

The 'Gěi' Prepositional Phrase

医生给他开刀 (yīshēng gěi tā kāidāo)

Aspect Marker 'Guò' (Experience)

我开过刀 (wǒ kāi guò dāo)

Resultative Complement 'Wán'

开完刀了 (kāi wán dāo le)

The 'Ná' Construction for Metaphors

拿懒人开刀 (ná lǎnrén kāidāo)

Examples by Level

他明天要开刀。

He needs surgery tomorrow.

Simple subject + time + verb.

医生在开刀。

The doctor is performing surgery.

Subject + 在 (zài) + verb.

我不怕开刀。

I am not afraid of surgery.

Negative '不' before the verb.

开刀疼吗？

Does surgery hurt?

Question with '吗'.

他开过刀。

He has had surgery before.

Verb + 过 (guò) to indicate past experience.

什么时候开刀？

When is the surgery?

Interrogative '什么时候'.

医生要给你开刀。

The doctor is going to operate on you.

给 (gěi) + object before the verb.

开刀以后要休息。

You need to rest after surgery.

Time phrase '以后' (after).

张医生给他开过刀。

Dr. Zhang has operated on him before.

Doctor + 给 + Patient + Verb.

这个小病不需要开刀。

This minor illness doesn't require surgery.

Subject + 不需要 (doesn't need) + Verb.

我从来没有开过刀。

I have never had surgery.

从来没有 (never) + Verb + 过.

开完刀以后可以回家吗？

Can I go home after the surgery is finished?

Verb + 完 (wán) to show completion.

他在哪家医院开刀？

Which hospital is he having surgery at?

在 + Location + Verb.

医生说明天早上八点开刀。

The doctor said the surgery is at 8 AM tomorrow.

Reported speech with '说'.

开刀需要很多钱吗？

Does surgery cost a lot of money?

Subject + 需要 + Object.

他的腿开过一次刀。

His leg has been operated on once.

Separable verb: 开 + frequency + 刀.

经理决定拿那个偷懒的员工开刀。

The manager decided to make an example of that lazy employee.

Figurative use: 拿...开刀.

这次手术开了四个多小时的刀。

This surgery lasted for over four hours.

Separable verb with duration in the middle.

虽然要开刀，但风险并不大。

Although surgery is required, the risk is not large.

Although... but (虽然...但).

他因为盲肠炎急需开刀。

He needs urgent surgery because of appendicitis.

Because of (因为) + reason.

开完刀后，他瘦了很多。

After the surgery, he lost a lot of weight.

Resultative complement '完'.

医生建议我先吃药，不开刀。

The doctor suggested I take medicine first instead of having surgery.

Suggestion pattern with '建议'.

为了治好病，他只能选择开刀。

In order to cure the illness, he had no choice but surgery.

In order to (为了) + purpose.

他在手术室里开了整整一晚上的刀。

He spent the whole night performing surgeries in the OR.

Emphasis '整整' (whole/entire).

政府决定拿高药价开刀，减轻百姓负担。

The government decided to target high drug prices to reduce the burden on the people.

Metaphorical use in policy/social context.

这位专家已经为上千名患者开过刀了。

This expert has already operated on over a thousand patients.

为 (wèi) + Person + 开过刀.

新官上任三把火，他第一把火就拿考勤制度开刀。

A new official is energetic; his first act was to overhaul the attendance system.

Idiom '新官上任三把火' combined with '开刀'.

如果不及时开刀，病情可能会恶化。

If surgery isn't performed in time, the condition might worsen.

Conditional '如果...可能'.

他怕开刀会留下难看的疤痕。

He is afraid the surgery will leave an ugly scar.

Fear of a result (怕...会).

这种微创技术不需要大面积开刀。

This minimally invasive technique doesn't require large-scale cutting.

Technical context.

校长拿迟到最严重的班级开刀，以儆效尤。

The principal made an example of the class with the worst tardiness to warn others.

Idiom '以儆效尤' (to warn others by following a bad example's punishment).

医生在给他开刀时发现了一个新的肿瘤。

While operating on him, the doctor discovered a new tumor.

Time phrase '在...时' (while).

在没有麻醉的情况下开刀，那是难以想象的痛苦。

Operating without anesthesia is an unimaginable pain.

Prepositional phrase '在...的情况下'.

他虽然是主刀医生，但这次他不敢轻易开刀。

Although he is the lead surgeon, he doesn't dare to operate lightly this time.

Adverb '轻易' (lightly/recklessly).

市场监管部门终于拿那些虚假广告开刀了。

Market regulators finally took action against those false advertisements.

Abstract object for metaphorical use.

开刀只是治标，关键还是要找出致病的原因。

Surgery only treats the symptoms; the key is to find the cause of the disease.

Idiom '治标' (treat symptoms) vs '治本' (implied).

他为了这个实验，竟然拿自己的身体开刀。

For this experiment, he actually performed surgery on his own body.

Adverb '竟然' (unexpectedly).

这次改革若不从体制内部开刀，恐怕难以成功。

If this reform doesn't start from within the system, I'm afraid it won't succeed.

Formal conditional '若...恐怕'.

在那个医疗条件简陋的年代，开刀简直是生死考验。

In that era of primitive medical conditions, surgery was simply a test of life and death.

Emphasis '简直是' (simply/literally).

医生必须精准地开刀，才能避开重要的神经。

The doctor must cut precisely to avoid important nerves.

Condition '必须...才能'.

他以手术刀般的精准，拿社会最阴暗的角落开刀。

With surgical precision, he targeted the darkest corners of society.

Highly metaphorical and literary.

这篇社论旨在拿现行的官僚主义开刀，言辞犀利。

This editorial aims to attack current bureaucracy with sharp words.

在医学伦理的博弈中，是否开刀往往并不只是技术问题。

In the gamble of medical ethics, whether to operate is often not just a technical question.

Complex philosophical structure.

他那双曾经为无数生命开刀的手，现在却在微微发抖。

Those hands that once operated on countless lives are now trembling slightly.

Relative clause '曾经为...'.

若非到了万不得已的地步，医生绝不会建议给这位高龄老人开刀。

Unless it were a last resort, the doctor would never suggest operating on this elderly person.

Double negative / high-level conditional '若非...绝不会'.

他试图通过拿几个典型案例开刀，来扭转整个行业的风气。

He tried to reverse the atmosphere of the entire industry by making examples of a few typical cases.

Abstract goal '扭转风气'.

开刀的过程虽然痛苦，却是通往康复的必经之路。

Although the process of surgery is painful, it is the only path to recovery.

Philosophical '虽然...却是'.

历史的变革往往需要有人先拿旧势力的利益开刀。

Historical changes often require someone to first target the interests of the old guard.

Large-scale historical context.

Common Collocations

动过开刀

主刀医生

拿他开刀

急需开刀

不敢开刀

开刀治疗

开过几次刀

准备开刀

开完刀了

拒绝开刀

Common Phrases

开刀房

— Colloquial term for the operating room (OR).

他被送进了开刀房。

拿...开刀

— To make an example of someone or to start a crackdown with a specific target.

新经理拿财务部开刀。

开一刀

— To have one surgery (literally 'one cut').

他肚子上开了一刀。

动大刀

— To have major surgery; figuratively to make major changes.

这次改革要动大刀。

主刀

— To be the lead surgeon.

谁来主刀这次手术？

开过刀的

— Referring to someone who has had surgery.

他是开过刀的人，不能干重活。

等着开刀

— Waiting for surgery; figuratively waiting for punishment.

他在外面等着开刀呢。

开刀费

— The fee for a surgical operation.

开刀费贵得吓人。

不用开刀

— No surgery needed.

医生说不用开刀，吃药就行。

开完刀后

— After the surgery is finished.

开完刀后要注意饮食。

Often Confused With

开刀 vs 手术 (shǒushù)

手术 is a noun (surgery), while 开刀 is a verb (to operate). You can say '做手术' but not '做开刀'.

开刀 vs 剪刀 (jiǎndāo)

Both involve blades, but 剪刀 are scissors. Don't confuse the tools.

开刀 vs 开会 (kāihuì)

Both start with '开', but one is a meeting and the other is surgery. Don't mix them up in busy schedules!

Idioms & Expressions

"新官上任三把火"

— A new official is very strict at first. Often used when they '开刀' someone.

他新官上任三把火，先拿迟到的员工开刀。

Colloquial

"杀鸡儆猴"

— Kill the chicken to warn the monkey. Very similar to the metaphorical '开刀'.

经理拿他开刀，就是为了杀鸡儆猴。

Literary/Common

"大刀阔斧"

— Bold and decisive. Used for major reforms or 'cutting'.

公司正在进行大刀阔斧的改革。

Formal

"切中要害"

— To hit the nail on the head; to cut to the core of the matter.

他的分析切中要害。

Formal

"对症下药"

— To prescribe the right medicine for the illness. Often contrasted with '开刀'.

我们要对症下药，不能盲目开刀。

Common

"救死扶伤"

— To heal the wounded and rescue the dying. The duty of those who '开刀'.

医生们忙着救死扶伤。

Idiomatic

"生死攸关"

— A matter of life and death. Often describes an '开刀' situation.

这是一场生死攸关的手术。

Formal

"心狠手辣"

— Cruel and merciless. Sometimes used to describe a metaphorical '开刀'.

他拿竞争对手开刀时真是心狠手辣。

Informal

"一刀两断"

— To make a clean break. Related to the 'cutting' imagery.

他决定和过去一刀两断。

Common

"病入膏肓"

— Beyond cure. When even '开刀' won't help.

这个项目已经病入膏肓了。

Literary

Easily Confused

开刀 vs 手术

Both mean surgery.

手术 is a noun; 开刀 is a verb. You can't say '一个开刀'.

这是一个复杂的手术。

开刀 vs 动刀

Both use '刀'.

动刀 usually implies a physical fight or using a knife as a weapon, whereas 开刀 is medical.

他们两个打架，差点动刀。

开刀 vs 执刀

Both relate to surgery.

执刀 specifically refers to the action of the lead surgeon holding the knife.

今天由他执刀。

开刀 vs 开创

Both start with '开'.

开创 means to initiate or pioneer a new field, not medical surgery.

他开创了一个新时代。

开刀 vs 切开

Literal meaning is similar.

切开 is just 'to cut open' (like a cake), while 开刀 is specifically surgical.

请把西瓜切开。

Sentence Patterns

Subj. + 要 + 开刀

他要开刀。

Subj. + 给 + Obj. + 开刀

医生给爷爷开刀。

Subj. + 开过 + 刀

我没开过刀。

开 + Duration + 的 + 刀

开了五小时的刀。

拿 + Obj. + 开刀

老板拿他开刀。

开完刀 + 以后

开完刀以后要休息。

从...内部 + 开刀

从体制内部开刀。

以...精准 + 开刀

以手术刀般的精准开刀。

Word Family

Nouns

手术 (shǒushù - surgery)

刀片 (dāopiàn - blade)

主刀 (zhídāo - lead surgeon)

Verbs

开 (kāi - to open)

切 (qiē - to cut)

割 (gē - to cut/sever)

Adjectives

开创性的 (kāichuàngxìng de - pioneering)

锋利的 (fēnglì de - sharp)

医生 (yīshēng)

医院 (yīyuàn)

麻醉 (mázuì)

缝针 (féngzhēn)

康复 (kāngfù)

How to Use It

frequency

Very high in both daily life and news media.

Common Mistakes

医生开刀病人。 → 医生给病人开刀。
You cannot have a direct object after '开刀'. Use the '给' structure.
他的开刀很成功。 → 他的手术很成功。
'开刀' is a verb. For a noun (the surgery), use '手术'.
我开刀了三个小时。 → 我开了三个小时的刀。
In separable verbs, duration usually goes between the verb and the object.
我不喜欢开刀。 (Meaning 'I don't like knives') → 我不喜欢刀。
'开刀' specifically means surgery. Use '刀' for the object 'knife'.
他被开刀了。 (To mean he was fired) → 他被拿来开刀了。
For the metaphorical 'fired/punished', the '拿...开刀' structure is needed.

Tips

Separable Verb Rule

Remember '开刀' can be split. Put duration, frequency, or '了/过' in the middle for natural Chinese.

Medical vs. Noun

Use '手术' (noun) for the event and '开刀' (verb) for the action.

Office Metaphor

If someone says '拿你开刀', prepare for a performance review or some discipline!

Tone Check

Both characters are 1st tone. Keep your voice high and steady like a flat line on a heart monitor.

Character Tip

Don't let the '刀' character's hook go too far, or it might look like another character.

Aspiration

The 'K' in 'Kai' needs a puff of air. Hold a tissue in front of your mouth; it should move!

TCM Perspective

Traditional Chinese Medicine usually doesn't involve '开刀', so this word is linked to Western medicine.

News Clues

When you see '拿...开刀' in a headline, look for the person or policy being targeted.

Sympathy

When someone says they need to '开刀', it's polite to reply with '祝你手术顺利' (Wish you a smooth surgery).

The Knife Door

Visualize '开' as a double door and '刀' as the key/knife that opens it.

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Kai' as 'Kite' (opening up the sky) and 'Dao' as 'Dagger'. You open the body with a medical dagger.

Visual Association

Imagine a doctor opening (开) a sterile package to take out a sharp knife (刀).

Word Web

Surgery Knife Hospital Doctor Punish Example Cut Open

Challenge

Try to use '开刀' in a sentence about a historical reform and another about a trip to the dentist.

Word Origin

The term '开刀' is a modern compound but uses ancient characters. '开' dates back to oracle bone script depicting hands opening a gate. '刀' is a pictograph of a bronze knife from the Shang Dynasty.

Original meaning: To literally use a knife to open something.

Sino-Tibetan / Sinitic

Cultural Context

Be careful when using the metaphorical '开刀' in a workplace; it can sound quite threatening.

English speakers use 'go under the knife' which is a perfect idiomatic match for '开刀'.

The TV show 'Surgeons' (外科风云) News reports on 'Anti-corruption' (反腐) The movie 'Dying to Survive' (我不是药神)

Practice in Real Life

Real-World Contexts

Hospital Admission

以前开过刀吗？
需要开刀吗？
开刀费多少？
什么时候开刀？

Workplace Discipline

拿他开刀
杀鸡儆猴
严肃处理
以儆效尤

Casual Conversation

听说他开刀了
祝你开刀顺利
开完刀好多了
怕开刀

News Headlines

拿高房价开刀
反腐开刀
体制改革开刀
整治乱象

Medical Drama

主刀医生
进开刀房
手术成功
准备开刀

Conversation Starters

"你最近身体怎么样？听说你要去医院开刀？"

"你觉得现在的微创手术和传统开刀有什么区别？"

"如果公司要裁员，你觉得老板会先拿谁开刀？"

"你以前开过刀吗？感觉恢复得怎么样？"

"现在的医生开刀技术是不是比以前好很多？"

Journal Prompts

描述一次你或你认识的人开刀的经历。当时心情如何？

如果你是一个老板，你会拿什么样的员工开刀来整顿公司风气？

讨论一下现代医学中开刀的重要性和风险。

写一段关于未来机器人开刀的科幻小故事。

你对‘拿...开刀’这个比喻有什么看法？它在社会中公平吗？

Frequently Asked Questions

10 questions

Yes, if the dentist has to cut the gums, people might colloquially say they had to '开刀'. It's very common for anything involving a scalpel.

Yes, it is a neutral, standard term. However, using '进行手术' might sound more professional and reassuring in a formal consultation.

You should say '我开过刀' (Wǒ kāi guò dāo). The 'guò' indicates it is a past experience.

Yes, if a vet operates on a pet, you can say '给猫开刀' or '给狗开刀'.

They are very similar. '开刀' is slightly more colloquial and focuses on the physical act of cutting. '动手术' is also common in speech but feels a bit more structured.

Because '开刀' is a verb-object compound. It already has an object ('刀'). You must use '给' to direct the action toward yourself: '医生给我开刀'.

It means your boss is singling you out for punishment or as an example to warn others. It's not a good thing!

The formal noun is '手术' (shǒushù). You use this for 'The surgery was long' -> '手术很长'.

No, that would be '开始' or '开创'. '开刀' always involves a 'knife'—either literal or metaphorical punishment.

It is '开完刀' (kāi wán dāo). The resultative complement '完' usually follows the verb part '开'.