Writing Balance Rule: The top component (隹) must be compressed slightly to make room for the bottom component (木), maintaining vertical symmetry along the central axis.
1. Meaning
to gather or to collect
collected works or volumeclassifier for episodes of a TV series or sections of a work
Verb and ClassifierNeutral#action#quantity#media
Sample Usage
大家集在一起开会。
dàjiā jí zài yīqǐ kāihuì.
Everyone gathered together to hold a meeting.
这部电视剧一共有三十集。
zhè bù diànshìjù yīgòng yǒushānshí jí.
This TV series has a total of thirty episodes.
2. Sound
/[t͡ɕi³⁵]/Tone: 35
集
jíji2
|
++
´(35)
=jí
Initial Consonant
j
Type: Unaspirated Alveolo-Palatal
Sounds like: j sound as in 'jeep' or 'gene' without the breath
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: No air puff. Lips spread wide like smiling.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Flat tongue blade pressed close to the roof of the mouth just behind the front teeth
Final Rhyme
i
Vowel Group: -i vowel group
Sounds like: ee sound as in 'bee' or 'see'
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'ee'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T2 (35)
3 → 5 (35)
2nd Tone (Mid-Rising)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 2 rises from middle to high, exactly like asking 'Huh?' or expressing sudden surprise with an upward inflection in English.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse the palatal 'j' with the retroflex 'zh' or the dental 'z'. Ensure it sounds crisp and high, exactly like the English name 'G'.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Start at a mid pitch and sweep your hand sharply upward like a rising question mark, matching the 35 rising pitch contour.
3. Writing
Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 12 strokes
Writing Balance Rule: The top component (隹) must be compressed slightly to make room for the bottom component (木), maintaining vertical symmetry along the central axis.
4. Components
Radical隹 · Short-tailed bird radical (small bird)
Semantic Clue (形旁):木 (Represents a tree where birds roost or gather)
A flock of birds (隹) gather together and perch on top of a tree (木).
隹 small bird perched up high
木 tree trunk or branches acting as the meeting place
5. History
Liushu category: Compound ideogram (会意)
Origin: Originally depicted multiple small birds (隹) resting together on a tree branch (木), illustrating the literal meaning of birds flocking or gathering together.
Semantic Evolution: From the physical gathering of birds on a tree branch, the meaning broadened to any kind of gathering, collection of items, compiled books, and eventually episodes or installments.
In ancient oracle bone scripts, the character clearly showed distinct bird figures perched on a wooden line.
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
tập
The entering tone (tập) corresponds to a short, clipped stop ending, whereas Mandarin jí has a smooth rising tone.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: シュウ (shū) / Kun: あつ.める (atsumeru), つどう (tsudou)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
집
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story
Many birds (隹) FLY up and GATHER together to rest on top of a giant tree (木).
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
焦
jiāoburnt / anxiousTop is 隹 (bird) over 灬 (fire), meaning birds over fire equals charred or burnt.
进
jìnto enterUses movement radical.
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
焦(jiāo)
集 has the tree (木) at the bottom where birds gather, while 焦 has fire (灬) at the bottom making things burnt.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
这部电视剧一共有三十[___]。
Clue: jí
Common Learner Pitfall
Confusing the bottom component 木 (tree) with similar elements like 日 or 口 when handwriting.
Memory Prompts
Recognition: When you see the character 集 with a bird on a tree, what does it mean?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to gather' or 'episode' (jí)?
Real-World Video Context
Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.
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集jíto gather
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