Writing Balance Rule: The left component (立) and the right component (曷) must share the horizontal space equally. Ensure the vertical stroke in the middle of the right side remains straight and anchors the character.
1. Meaning
to exhaust, to use up, to drain completely
to the utmost, to the limitto run out of resources or strength
exhausted, drained of all physical and mental energy
2. Sound
/[t͡ɕi̯ɛ³⁵]/Tone: 35
竭
jiéjie2
|
++
´(35)
=jié
Build the syllable
Step-by-step blending
jie
Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "e" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).
Initial Consonant
j
Type: Unaspirated Alveolo-Palatal
Sounds like: j sound as in 'jeep' (alveolo-palatal)
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: No air puff. Lips spread wide like smiling.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Blade of the tongue touches or approaches the hard palate with the tip behind the lower front teeth.
Final Rhyme
ie
Vowel Group: -e vowel group
Sounds like: rhymes with 'yea' in 'yeah'
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'yeh'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Abbreviated Rhyme Rule: The 'i' acts as a palatal glide leading into the open-mid front vowel 'e'.
Tone
T2 (35)
3 → 5 (35)
2nd Tone (Mid-Rising)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 2 rises from mid to high pitch, identical to an English question inflection like 'Huh?' or 'What?'.
Sandhi: When followed by a 4th tone syllable, the rising tone shifts to a high-rising trajectory, though it retains its fundamental rising quality.
👂
Listening trap: Often confused with 3rd tone variants or flat 1st tone syllables by beginners who fail to capture the upward sweep of Tone 2.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A rising hand gesture starting from a moderate height and sweeping upward into the air, mirroring the upward pitch contour.
3. Writing
Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 11 strokes
Writing Balance Rule: The left component (立) and the right component (曷) must share the horizontal space equally. Ensure the vertical stroke in the middle of the right side remains straight and anchors the character.
4. Components
Radical立 · Stand Radical (stand, erect)
Semantic Clue (形旁):立 (Indicates standing firm or setting up a baseline posture.)
Phonetic Clue (声旁):曷 (original sound: jié / hé)
The character combines the 'stand' radical (立) on the left with the phonetic/semantic component 'what/how' (曷) on the right, portraying someone standing until they have nothing left.
立 stand or upright posture
曷 phonetic clue and semantic hint of reaching a limit
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
15· Phonetic Root: 曷 (hé)
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)
Origin: Originally formed to depict a state of being depleted or standing until exhausted. The right component '曷' provides the sound while contributing the sense of reaching an ultimate limit.
Semantic Evolution: From the physical posture of standing until tired, it expanded to mean exhausting all resources, energy, or possibilities.
Frequently used in classical texts to describe the draining of water sources or military supplies.
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
kiệt
The entering tone or checked tone of Sino-Vietnamese corresponds to modern Mandarin rising/falling patterns depending on historical syllable endings.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: ケツ (ketsu) / Kun: つか.す (tsuka.su), つ.きる (tsu.kiru)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
걸
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story
You **STAND** (立) upright **WHAT** (曷) else can you do when you are completely **EXHAUSTED** (竭) and have run out of energy?