給 (gěi) - Meaning, Stroke Order & Audio

給

gěi[gei3]Tone 3

to give

HSK 1

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给

Multiple Readings (多音字):

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English · to give

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Topology:Left-right

Strokes:9

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (纟) takes up about one-third of the width, leaving the right component (合) two-thirds of the space so the character remains balanced and compact.

Simplification Logic: The traditional radical 糹 (silk) was simplified to 纟, reducing stroke complexity while maintaining the semantic root.

1. Meaning

to give

forfor the benefit ofto allowto do sth for sbpassive marker equivalent to 被object marker equivalent to 把sentence intensifier

Verb / PrepositionColloquial#action#transfer#grammar

Sample Usage

请把书给我。
Qǐng bǎ shū gěi wǒ.
Please give the book to me.
我给你买了一杯咖啡。
Wǒ gěi nǐ mǎi le yì bēi kāfēi.
I bought a cup of coffee for you.

2. Sound

/[keɪ̯²¹⁴]/Tone: 214

給

gěigei3

ˇ(214)

=gěi

Initial Consonant

Type: Unaspirated Velar

Sounds like: g sound in 'go'

Unaspirated

Airflow Tactile Test: No burst of air (sounds like 'c' in Vietnamese 'cá' or 'k' in English 'skate').

Tongue & Mouth Position: Back of the tongue raised against the soft palate.

Final Rhyme

Vowel Group: -e vowel group

Sounds like: ei rhymes with 'hey' or 'day'

Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ay'.

Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.

Tone

T3 (214)

2 → 1 → 4 (214)

3rd Tone (Low-Dipping)

Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 3 dips low like a skeptical English 'Really?', starting mid, dropping down, and rising back up.

Sandhi: When followed by another 3rd tone syllable, gěi changes to a 2nd tone (35) due to the third tone sandhi rule.

👂

Listening trap: Beginners often confuse the 3rd tone dipping contour with a flat 1st tone or sharp 4th tone, losing the characteristic dip-and-rise.

👋

Physical Tone Gesture: Trace a checkmark in the air: dip down sharply from your neutral speaking pitch and sweep back up high.

3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 9 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (纟) takes up about one-third of the width, leaving the right component (合) two-thirds of the space so the character remains balanced and compact.

Simplification Logic: The traditional radical 糹 (silk) was simplified to 纟, reducing stroke complexity while maintaining the semantic root.

4. Components

Radical 纟 · silk radical (silk, thread)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 纟 (Originally tied to threads, cloth, and handing items over or bestowing gifts of fabric.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 合 (original sound: hé / gěi phonetic clue)

Silk threads (纟) brought together (合) to be handed over as a gift or offering, giving the meaning of 'to give'.

纟 silk radical / thread
合 to close / combine

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

22· Phonetic Root: 合 (gě)

5. History

Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the silk radical (纟) representing textile tribute or material goods, and 合 (hé) providing the sound and the idea of bringing things together or matching.

Semantic Evolution: Shifted from the physical act of presenting silk or goods to the general verb 'to give', and further expanded into prepositions ('for') and grammatical markers.

In Classical Chinese, its primary meaning was connected to bestowing or granting favors.
Modern Chinese heavily relies on it as a dative preposition and passive marker.

6. Sinosphere

7. Memory

Vivid Mnemonic Story

You take a bundle of silk threads (纟) and bring them together (合) in your hands to *give* (gěi) them as a generous gift to your friend.

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)

合

héto close, to matchBase phonetic component without the silk radical.

鸽

gēdove, pigeonUses bird radical (鸟) instead of silk radical (纟).

恰

qiàexactly, preciselyUses heart radical (忄) instead of silk radical (纟).

Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)

己(jǐ)

己 means 'self' and lacks the left silk radical entirely.

已(yǐ)

已 means 'already' and has an open stroke on the right side, unlike 合.

8. Mastery

Active Recall Challenge

請把這本書___我。

Clue: gěi

Common Learner Pitfall

Forgetting that gěi acts as a preposition in front of the indirect object (e.g., 给我 rather than 我给 when meaning 'to me').

Memory Prompts

Recognition: What does 给 mean when you see it in a sentence like '我给你'?

Production: How do you write the character for 'to give' using the silk radical and 'hé'?

給gěito give

Speed:

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