HanziGuru.寄 · jì
寄
jì[ji4]Tone 4

to mail / to send / to entrust

HSK 4
Guru Deep Dive

English · to mail / to send / to entrust

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Topology:Top-bottom
Strokes:11
Writing Balance Rule: The top roof structure (宀) must be balanced and centered, sheltering the lower portion (奇) evenly without leaning left or right.
1. Meaning

to send by mail or post

to entrust or place in someone's careto reside temporarily or lodgefoster relationship (e.g. foster child)
VerbNeutral#communication#postal service#relationships
Sample Usage
  • 我想寄一封信。
    wǒ xiǎng jì yī fēng xìn.
    I want to mail a letter.
  • 请帮我寄快递。
    qǐng bāng wǒ jì kuàidì.
    Please help me send an express delivery.
2. Sound
/[t͡ɕi˥˩]/Tone: 51
寄
jìji4
++
`(51)
=jì
Initial Consonant
j
Type: Unaspirated Alveolo-Palatal
Sounds like: like the 'g' in 'genie' or 'j' in 'jeans' without the heavy friction
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: No air puff. Lips spread wide like smiling.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Blade of the tongue touches or comes close to the hard palate, releasing gently.
Final Rhyme
i
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
T4 (51)
4th Tone (High-Falling)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and plunges straight down like a sudden drop in pitch when saying 'No!' with finality.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse the unaspirated 'j' with the aspirated 'q'. 'jì' starts with a clean, gentle contact, whereas 'qì' releases a strong puff of air.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp, decisive downward karate chop or a quick nod of agreement downward from high to low.
3. Writing

Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 11 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The top roof structure (宀) must be balanced and centered, sheltering the lower portion (奇) evenly without leaning left or right.

4. Components

Radical 宀 · Roof radical (roof or shelter)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 宀 (indicates a home, shelter, or safe place where things are kept or sent from)

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

A roof (宀) sheltering something unusual or precious that you send away or entrust (奇) to someone else.

  • 宀 roof / shelter
  • 奇 strange / odd (providing the sound 'jì')
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the roof radical (宀) representing a dwelling or post station, and (奇) providing the phonetic reading. Historically associated with lodging, entrusting items at a waystation, and sending messages.

Semantic Evolution: Originally meaning to lodge temporarily or entrust under a roof, it broadened to include sending items through postal relays and eventually general mailing.

  • In ancient times, travelers would lodge at stations under a roof, giving rise to temporary residence meanings.
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
ký
Both carry a sharp falling or constriction quality, matching the historical entering/deflected tone categories.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: キ (ki) / Kun: 寄.る, 寄.せる
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
기
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

You stand under a roof (宀) wondering how to send a strange (奇) package across the world, so you decide to mail (寄) it.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
奇
qístrange / oddWithout the roof top, it means strange or odd.
椅
yǐchairReplaces the roof with the wood radical (木) for furniture you sit on.
骑
qíto ride (a horse)Replaces the roof with the horse radical (马) for riding.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
奇(qí)
寄 has the roof (宀) on top for mailing/lodging; 奇 lacks the roof and means odd or strange.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
我明天要去邮局[___]信。
Clue: jì
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the upper roof component (宀) with other similar top radicals like 广 or 亠, leading to incorrect stroke order.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see 寄, what core action of sending or entrusting comes to mind?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to mail' (jì), which combines a roof and the phonetic 'strange'?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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