匸 (xì) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

匸

xì[xi4]Tone 4

cover or conceal radical

Guru Deep Dive

English · cover or conceal radical

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Topology:Full enclosure

Strokes:2

Writing Balance Rule: Make the top horizontal stroke short and hook down smoothly into a sweeping vertical-right enclosure, leaving the right side open.

1. Meaning

cover or conceal radical

hiding enclosureKangxi radical number 23

NounLiteraryBound morpheme#radicals#components#enclosures

Sample Usage

“匸”是一个部首。
“xì” shì yīgè bùshǒu.
“匸” is a radical.
它通常表示隐藏或遮盖。
Tā tōngcháng biǎoshì yǐncáng huò zhēgài.
It usually signifies hiding or covering.

2. Sound

/[ɕi⁵¹]/Tone: 51

匸

xìxi4

`(51)

=xì

Build the syllable

Step-by-step blending

Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "i" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).

Initial Consonant

Type: Alveolo-Palatal Fricative

Sounds like: sh sound pronounced with the tongue blade near the roof of the mouth

Unaspirated

Airflow Tactile Test: Hissing friction with lips stretched wide in a smile.

Tongue & Mouth Position: The tip of the tongue rests behind the lower front teeth while the blade rises close to the hard palate.

Final Rhyme

Vowel Group: -i vowel group

Sounds like: -ee sound as in 'see'

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

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

Tone

T4 (51)

5 → 1 (51)

4th Tone (High-Falling)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and drops abruptly like an emphatic 'No!' in English.

👂

Listening trap: Do not confuse it with 匚 (fāng, box radical). 匸 is an enclosure that opens to the right with a trailing hook stroke, whereas 匚 opens to the right with a sharp corner.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: Chop your hand downward sharply from high to low, mirroring a falling pitch that signals a definitive stop.

3. Writing

Topology: Full enclosure · Strokes: 2 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: Make the top horizontal stroke short and hook down smoothly into a sweeping vertical-right enclosure, leaving the right side open.

4. Components

Radical 匸 · Hiding Enclosure Radical (cover or conceal)

A single continuous stroke starts horizontally and bends down to create a protective, roof-like container that hides whatever is placed underneath.

一 top horizontal roof line
𠃊 vertical drop and right hook wrapping around an object

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

2· Phonetic Root: 匸 (xì)

5. History

Liushu category: Pictogram (象形)

Origin: Originally depicted a covered box or a cloth wrapping designed to conceal valuables from view.

Semantic Evolution: Over time, it became standardized as Kangxi radical 23, functioning as an enclosure semantic element for characters relating to hiding, containers, or covering up.

It appears infrequently as an independent word today but serves as a vital structural component in characters like 匹 and 区.

6. Sinosphere

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

Imagine a secret agent wearing a dark cloak (匸) sliding under a laser grid, completely concealed in the shadows as they whisper 'xì' to stay silent.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

医

yīmedical, medicine, doctor, to cure, to treat+ 矢 (arrow)

Explore this family →

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

匚(fāng)

匚 has a sharp 90-degree corner at the bottom right, whereas 匸 curves outward and includes a trailing hook.

冂(jiōng)

冂 is a downward-facing open box (country border), whereas 匸 opens to the right like a sideways tunnel.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

在汉字部首中，“[___]”旁通常与隐藏或遮盖有关。

Clue: xì

Common Learner Pitfall

Mistaking 匸 (xì) for 匚 (fāng). Remember that 匸 has a rounded hook at the bottom right, representing a cloth cover or hiding cave.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What is the name and meaning of Kangxi radical 23 (匸)?

Production: How do you write the 2-stroke hiding enclosure radical that opens to the right?

匸xìcover or conceal radical

Speed:

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