HanziGuru.积 · jī
积
jī[ji1]Tone 1

to accumulate

HSK 3
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積
Guru Deep Dive

English · to accumulate

Cached lesson
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Topology:Left-right
Strokes:10
Writing Balance Rule: The left component (禾) is narrower and lighter, while the right component (戢) is wider and bears more weight, maintaining a harmonious left-right balance without tilting.
Simplification Logic: The traditional form 積 was simplified by replacing the complex right side component with 只, reducing stroke complexity while retaining the phonetic structure.
1. Meaning

to accumulate, to amass, to store up

product (in mathematics)constipation or indigestion (Traditional Chinese Medicine)
Verb / NounNeutral#quantity#time#mathematics#medicine
Sample Usage
  • 我们要积少成多。
    wǒmen yào jī shǎo chéng duō.
    We need to gather small amounts to make a lot.
  • 这是乘法运算的积。
    zhè shì chéngfǎ yùnsuàn de jī.
    This is the product of a multiplication operation.
2. Sound
/[t͡ɕi˥]/Tone: 55
积
jīji1
++
¯(55)
=jī
Initial Consonant
j
Type: Unaspirated Alveolo-Palatal
Sounds like: like the 'j' in 'jeep' but unaspirated and made with the blade of the tongue against the hard palate
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: No air puff. Lips spread wide like smiling.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Blade of the tongue touches or comes very close to the hard palate, teeth nearly closed.
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
T1 (55)
1st Tone (High-Flat)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 1 is flat and sustained at the upper register of your voice, much like singing a steady high note or maintaining a monotone 'ah' at the doctor's office.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing it with the retroflex initial 'zhī' (zh-) or mistaking the high front vowel for an English 'ee' without keeping the tongue crisp and fronted.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Hold your hand flat at head level and draw a straight, high horizontal line from left to right, representing the high level pitch of Tone 1.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 10 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left component (禾) is narrower and lighter, while the right component (戢) is wider and bears more weight, maintaining a harmonious left-right balance without tilting.

Simplification Logic: The traditional form 積 was simplified by replacing the complex right side component with 只, reducing stroke complexity while retaining the phonetic structure.

4. Components

Radical 禾 · Cereal plant radical (grain, crops, agriculture)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 禾 (Indicates grain, which is harvested and piled up in great quantities.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 戢 (original sound: jī)

Combining the cereal plant radical (禾) on the left with the phonetic/structural part on the right (只) creates the image of grain stalks being harvested and piled up high over time.

  • 禾 Grain / crop semantic clue
  • 只 Phonetic and structural component
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Originally formed to depict the harvesting and storing of grain. Over time, the concept expanded from storing grain to accumulating any resource, knowledge, or mathematical product.

Semantic Evolution: From physical heaps of harvested grain to a general verb for accumulating anything over time, and later adopted into mathematics to mean 'product'.

  • Agricultural surplus was the earliest form of wealth accumulation in ancient Chinese society.
6. Sinosphere
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: セキ (seki) / Kun: つ.む (tsumu), つ.もる (tsumoru)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
적
Sound Shift Bridge: The Japanese On'yomi 'seki' shares a historical root with the Middle Chinese reading for accumulation.
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

Farmer Franz harvests bundles of grain (禾) day after day, piling them into a massive stack (只) until he has accumulated a mountain of wealth.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
缉
jīto gather / to arrestReplaces the grain radical with the silk thread radical (纟), referring to gathering or spinning threads.
辑
jíto compile / volumeUses the vehicle/cart radical (车) combined with the same phonetic part, meaning to collect and arrange materials.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
极(jí)
极 has the tree radical (木) meaning 'extreme' or 'pole', whereas 积 has the grain radical (禾) meaning 'accumulate'.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
我们要[___]经验，才能把工作做好。
Clue: jī
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the left radical 禾 with 木 (tree) or mixing up the tone with a dipping or falling contour.

Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see the character 积, what does it mean and how is it pronounced?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to accumulate' using the grain radical?
Real-World Video Context

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

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