奇 (jī) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

奇

jī[ji1]Tone 1

odd (number)

HSK 3

Multiple Readings (多音字):

Guru Deep Dive

English · odd (number)

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:8

Writing Balance Rule: The left component (大) and right component (可) should share the horizontal space evenly, ensuring the hook of 可 does not stretch too far into the left side.

1. Meaning

odd (as in an odd number not divisible by two)

strangeunusualpeculiarsurprising

AdjectiveNeutral#mathematics#qualities#descriptions

Sample Usage

三是一个奇数。
Sān shì yī gè jīshù.
Three is an odd number.
这件事真奇怪。
Zhè jiàn shì zhēn qíguài.
This matter is really strange.

2. Sound

/[t͡ɕi⁵⁵]/Tone: 55

奇

jīji1

¯(55)

=jī

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Alveolo-Palatal

Sounds like: j sound as in 'jeep'

Unaspirated

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

Tongue & Mouth Position: The blade of the tongue touches or is very close to the hard palate, releasing gently without any burst of breath.

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

T1 (55)

5 → 5 (55)

1st Tone (High-Flat)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is a high, steady pitch, similar to the flat, monotone sound you make when saying 'Aah' at the doctor's office.

👂

Listening trap: Confusing the first tone pronunciation 'jī' with the fourth tone 'jì', or confusing the palatal 'j' sound with the retroflex 'zh'.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: Hold your hand completely flat and steady at eye level, making a straight horizontal line representing the high level pitch of Tone 1.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 8 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left component (大) and right component (可) should share the horizontal space evenly, ensuring the hook of 可 does not stretch too far into the left side.

4. Components

Radical 大 · Big Radical (big, large, great)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 大 (provides the underlying sense of scale or extent)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 可 (original sound: kě / jī phonetic association)

A big person (大) doing something approved or possible (可), which leads to an unexpected, odd, or surprising outcome.

大 big or person
可 can / approval

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

18· Phonetic Root: 奇 (jī)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally depicted a person (大) holding or encountering something out of the ordinary, evolving into meanings of strangeness and numbers that do not pair up evenly.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from meaning a single/unpaired entity (hence odd numbers) to general strangeness and rarity.

In classical texts, 奇 often referred to military maneuvers that were unorthodox or unexpected.

6. Sinosphere

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

A BIG (大) person does something so unique and unimaginable that it CAN (可) only be described as ODD and strange.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

椅

yǐchairAdds the wood radical (木) to the phonetic base 奇.

绮

qǐfine silkAdds the silk radical (纟) to the phonetic base 奇.

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

寄(jì)

寄 features the roof/house radical (宀) on top for mailing or lodging, whereas 奇 has 大 on the left.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

数字三是一个___数。

Clue: jī

Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the pronunciation and tone when used as an odd number (jī) versus when used in compound words like 奇怪 (qíguài where it takes the second tone).

Memory Prompts

Recognition: When you see 奇 in the context of numbers (like 奇数), what is its pronunciation and meaning?

Production: How do you write the character meaning 'odd number' with Pinyin jī?

奇jīodd (number)

Speed:

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