執 (zhí) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

執

zhí[zhi2]Tone 2

to execute, to grasp

HSK 5

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执

Guru Deep Dive

English · to execute, to grasp

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:6

Writing Balance Rule: Keep the left component (丸 variant) compact and slightly higher, while the right component (幸) spreads its lower horizontal strokes steadily to maintain horizontal stability.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 執 simplifies the left-hand radical structure and streamlines internal components in the modern standard.

1. Meaning

to execute (a plan, order, etc.) or to grasp/hold firmly

to persist into manage or take charge ofarrest or apprehend

VerbFormalBound morpheme#action#law#control#governance

Sample Usage

执行任务
zhíxíng rènwu
to carry out a mission
固执己见
gùzhí jǐjiàn
stubbornly clinging to one's own opinion

2. Sound

/[ʈʂʐ̩³⁵]/Tone: 35

執

zhízhi2

´(35)

=zhí

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Retroflex

Sounds like: j/dr retroflex sound

UnaspiratedRetroflex

Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air. Tongue curled up. Tissue stays still.

Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip curled back near hard palate

Final Rhyme

i (-i*)

Vowel Group: -a vowel group

Sounds like: buzzing -i after retroflex

Note: Written as 'i (-i*)', pronounced as rounded 'i' [y].

Mouth Shape Guide: Combine initial 'zh-' (jr) with final '-i' (rr/zz).

Common Learner Trap: Do NOT pronounce '-i' as 'ee' after zh-! Keep your tongue in the consonant position and buzz 'rr/zz'.

Tone

T2 (35)

3 → 5 (35)

2nd Tone (Mid-Rising)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 2 rises from mid to high, exactly like asking 'Really?' with surprise in English conversation.

Sandhi: When followed by another Tone 2 syllable, it shifts to a high rising contour similar to a Tone 1 modification rule depending on speed.

👂

Listening trap: Often confused with retroflex affricates like 'zhī' or aspirated pairs if spoken too rapidly in northern dialects.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: Start at a mid-low pitch and sweep your hand upward sharply to the sky, mirroring an interrogative 'What?' in English.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 6 strokes

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 執 simplifies the left-hand radical structure and streamlines internal components in the modern standard.

4. Components

Radical 扌 · Hand Radical (Actions involving hands, holding, or manipulating)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 扌 (Indicates hand action, grasping or executing manually.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 丸 (original sound: zhí / yuán phonetic family trace)

A hand (扌) reaches out to grab and manage a round/bound object (丸 or related captive element), symbolizing control, holding, and execution.

扌 Hand action / grasping
丸 Phonetic and structural scaffold

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

5· Phonetic Root: 執 ()

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally depicted a person in handcuffs or being restrained by a hand, which evolved into the general concept of holding, grasping, and enforcing laws or orders.

Semantic Evolution: From physically arresting or holding a prisoner (restraint) to gripping an object, and finally abstractly executing plans, commands, or duties.

Ancient legal codes used this character to denote the apprehension and execution of official decrees.

6. Sinosphere

🇻🇳

Sino-Vietnamese

chấp

The entering tone / checked tone corresponds to modern checked stops in Sino-Vietnamese vocabulary.

🇯🇵

Kanji (Japanese)

On: シツ (shitsu) / シュウ (shū) / Kun: とる (toru)

🇰🇷

Hanja (Korean)

집

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

With your hand (扌), you grasp the reins and firmly EXECUTE the plan without letting go.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

热

rèhotUses fire radical (灬) instead of hand.

势

shìpower/tendencyCombines force/power underneath.

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

到(dào)

Contains knife/sword radical on the right instead of the execution/grasp structure.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

我們必須嚴格[___]公司的各項規章製度。

Clue: zhí xíng

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the tone contour (rising Tone 2 zhí) with Tone 4 zhì, or miswriting the internal strokes of the right-hand component.

Memory Prompts

Recognition: When you see 执, what two core ideas of action come to mind?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to execute / grasp' with Pinyin zhí?

執zhíto execute, to grasp

Speed:

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