击 (jī) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

击

jī[ji1]Tone 1

to hit, strike, or beat

HSK 5

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擊

Guru Deep Dive

English · to hit, strike, or beat

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:7

Writing Balance Rule: Ensure the left side (the hand and action elements) is compact, leaving ample horizontal space for the complex structure on the right.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form '擊' was simplified to '击' by replacing the intricate top and bottom components with simpler graphic equivalents while retaining the core visual gestalt.

1. Meaning

to hit, strike, or beat

to attackto clash

VerbNeutral#action#combat#force

Sample Usage

攻击
gōngjī
to attack
撞击
zhuàngjī
to collide / impact

2. Sound

/[t͡ɕi⁵⁵]/Tone: 55

击

jīji1

¯(55)

=jī

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Alveolo-Palatal

Sounds like: like the 'j' in 'jeep' but with the tongue blade flattened against the hard palate

Unaspirated

Airflow Tactile Test: No air puff. Lips spread wide like smiling.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Front of tongue raised toward hard palate, tip resting behind lower teeth

Final Rhyme

Vowel Group: -i vowel group

Sounds like: rhymes with the 'ee' in 'see'

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ee'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T1 (55)

5 → 5 (55)

1st Tone (High-Flat)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high, steady pitch, comparable to maintaining a high musical note without any rise or fall.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the retroflex 'zhī' with the alveolo-palatal 'jī'. Remember that 'j' requires tongue contact near the front roof of the mouth, not curled back.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: A flat, high horizontal line in the upper vocal range, like a steady musical note sung at the top of your voice.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 7 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: Ensure the left side (the hand and action elements) is compact, leaving ample horizontal space for the complex structure on the right.

4. Components

Radical 手 · Hand Radical (hand, action, manipulation)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 手 (indicates manual action or striking with the hand)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 毄 (original sound: ji)

The character combines the hand radical (手) on the left (often written as 扌) with a phonetic and conceptual structure on the right representing a clash or striking force.

扌 hand / striking action
毄 phonetic and structural component indicating impact

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

2· Phonetic Root: 击 (jī)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Oracle bone inscriptions show a hand holding a tool or weapon striking an object, representing the physical act of hitting or attacking.

Semantic Evolution: Originally depicting a physical strike with a weapon or hand, the meaning broadened to metaphorical attacks, collisions, and striking sounds.

In traditional contexts, it frequently appeared in military terminology describing surprise attacks.

6. Sinosphere

🇻🇳

Sino-Vietnamese

kích

High checked tone corresponding to Mandarin Tone 1 or entering tone categories.

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: ゲキ / Kun: う.つ

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

격

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine using your hand (扌) to strike a gong so hard that it rings out with a sharp, high 'jee!' sound.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

击

jīto hitbase character for striking

覊

jīhalter / bridleuses the same phonetic base with net/web elements

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

吉(jí)

'吉' has a '士' on top (auspicious), whereas '击' involves a striking hand action.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

这场比赛非常精彩，双方都发起多次[___]。

Clue: gōng jī

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the stroke order of the right-hand component or mispronouncing the tone as a dipping Tone 3.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What does 击 mean and how is it pronounced?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to hit or strike' (jī)?

击jīto hit, strike, or beat

Speed:

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