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亟 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
urgently, immediately, extremelyv, 8 strokes, radical 二, rank #59553, Very Hard
urgentunknown, 8 strokes, radical 二, rank #59553, Very Hard
repeatedlyunknown, 8 strokes, radical 二, rank #59553, Very Hard
frequentlyunknown, 8 strokes, radical 二, rank #59553, Very Hard
urgently, immediately, extremelyv, 8 strokes, radical 二, rank #59553, Very Hard
urgentunknown, 8 strokes, radical 二, rank #59553, Very Hard
repeatedlyunknown, 8 strokes, radical 二, rank #59553, Very Hard
frequentlyunknown, 8 strokes, radical 二, rank #59553, Very Hard
(ji2)
primary
T2
  1. 1urgently, immediately, extremely
  2. 2urgent
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(ji2)

The character 亟 (jí) conveys a sense of urgency or immediacy, often implying that something needs to be done quickly or repeatedly. It can also denote a situation or action that is extreme or critical. Common contexts include expressing urgent requests or describing time-sensitive situations.

Strokes8RadicalFrequency#59553DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of urgency is often tied to the value placed on time management and efficiency, especially in business environments. The use of 亟 reflects a societal expectation to respond quickly to situations and demands.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person urgently waving their hands, shouting 'ji! ji!' to get attention. The character 亟 looks like a person in a hurry, with its sharp angles suggesting urgency and speed, reinforcing the sound 'jí' with their frantic movements.

Meanings of 亟

(ji2)
primary
1urgently, immediately, extremely
2urgent
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 亟

Simplified
8Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 亟

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 亟

Quick Contrast

急 (jí) vs 迫 (pò) — use 亟 (jí) when emphasizing the urgency of an action that needs to be done quickly, while 急 (jí) can imply a sense of anxiety or impatience, and 迫 (pò) emphasizes a pressing or imminent situation.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person urgently waving their hands, shouting 'ji! ji!' to get attention. The character 亟 looks like a person in a hurry, with its sharp angles suggesting urgency and speed, reinforcing the sound 'jí' with their frantic movements.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 亟 with similar-sounding words, leading to misunderstandings. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, but is especially common in written Chinese, such as in news articles or official communications. Be careful with the tone; 亟 is pronounced in the second tone (jí), which can be easily mistaken for the first tone.

HSK Study Tips

While 亟 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary list, it can be associated with the HSK 4 level where learners focus on expressing urgency and necessity. Familiarity with this character can enhance understanding of other related words that convey urgency, such as 急 (jí) for 'urgent' or 迫切 (pòqiè) for 'pressing'.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of urgency is often tied to the value placed on time management and efficiency, especially in business environments. The use of 亟 reflects a societal expectation to respond quickly to situations and demands.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 亟 in place of 急 (jí), which also means urgent but is more commonly used in conversation. For example, saying '我亟需要这个' (Wǒ jí xūyào zhège) instead of '我急需要这个' (Wǒ jí xūyào zhège) would sound unnatural.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 亟

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Etymology of 亟

Explanation

Originally a pictograph of a person with lines at the top and bottom, depicting the original meaning "extremity". Later the 口 (mouth) and 又 (hand) components were added for unknown reasons.

Learn more about character formation (六书)
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 亟?

Decomposition of 亟

IDS Structure⿱⿻了叹一
Full Character
=
le5
outer
tan4
inner
yi1
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 亟?

Write 亟

Practice writing stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 亟

亟 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 5

Complete the Sentence

他管理上的重大失误使公司陷入____须重组的境地。

His gross misman-agement left the company desperately in need of restructuring.

Example Sentences for 亟 (3)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他管理上的重大失误使公司陷入亟须重组的境地。

tā guǎn lǐ shàng de zhòng dà shī wù shǐ gōng sī xiàn rù jí xū zhòng zǔ de jìng dì。

His gross misman-agement left the company desperately in need of restructuring.
2
现在亟需食物和水。

xiàn zài jí xū shí wù hé shuǐ。

There is an urgent need for food and water.
3
该船内部亟需油漆。

gāi chuán nèi bù jí xū yóu qī。

The boat's interior badly needed painting.

Cultural Notes for 亟

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the concept of urgency is often tied to the value placed on time management and efficiency, especially in business environments. The use of 亟 reflects a societal expectation to respond quickly to situations and demands.

Word Family of 亟

Words Containing This Character3
亟待to need urgently
亟需urgent need
repeatedly
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 亟待 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 亟

Common phrases include '亟待解决' (jí dài jiějué), meaning 'urgent need to resolve', which emphasizes immediate action.