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冀 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
冀jìsurname Jiunknown, 16 strokes, radical 八, rank #46326, Very Hard
冀jìto hope for; to wish; Hebei provincens, 16 strokes, radical 八, rank #46326, Very Hard
冀jìshort name for Hebei 河北 provinceunknown, 16 strokes, radical 八, rank #46326, Very Hard
jì(Ji4)ji T4
  1. 1surname Ji
  2. 2to hope for; to wish; Hebei province
Also a Chinese surname, Ji — see the Surname Dictionary
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March 24, 2026

冀jì(Ji4)

The character 冀 (jì) primarily means to hope for or to wish for something. It is also used as a short form for Hebei province (河北), and it can serve as a surname. In contexts, it often conveys aspirations or desires, especially in literary expressions or poetic language.

Strokes16Radical八Frequency#46326DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

冀 is often associated with Hebei province, which is historically significant as it surrounds Beijing and has played a vital role in Chinese culture and politics. The province is known for its rich history and traditional Chinese arts.

Memory tip

Imagine a person (人) with a 'hat' (冀) on their head, symbolizing their hopes and wishes. The character's form combines the idea of 'hoping' (to wish) and 'Hebei' (a geographical place), which you can visualize as a person dreaming of the beautiful landscapes in that province.

Meanings of 冀

jì(Ji4)
1to hope for; to wish; Hebei province
2short name for Hebei 河北 province
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 冀

冀Simplified
16Strokes
八Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 冀

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Podcast: 冀

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AI study notes for 冀

Usage Notes

The character is often used in a literary or formal context, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include phrases like 希冀 (xī jì - to hope for) and 冀望 (jì wàng - to expect). Be mindful of the third tone of jì, as mispronouncing it as the first tone could lead to confusion.

HSK Study Tips

Although 冀 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to HSK level 4 and above through words related to hope and aspiration, such as 希望 (xī wàng - hope). Students should focus on differentiating between similarly toned characters and expanding their vocabulary related to aspirations.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 冀 (jì) with 希 (xī) due to their similar meanings related to hope. For example, using 希冀 instead of 冀望 in a sentence can lead to awkward phrasing; ensure you use them in their appropriate contexts.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 冀

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Etymology of 冀

Formation typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 北 represents the meaning and 異 represents the sound.

Memory hint

north

Semantic (meaning)北
+
Phonetic (sound)異
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

冀 = 北 + 異. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 冀

IDS Structure⿱北異
冀Full character
=
北bei3
top
異yi4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 冀?

How to say surname Ji in Chinese

“surname Ji” in Chinese is冀jì

The character 冀 (jì) primarily means to hope for or to wish for something. It is also used as a short form for Hebei province (河北), and it can serve as a surname. In contexts, it often conveys aspirations or desires, especially in literary expressions or poetic language.

When to use 冀

The character is often used in a literary or formal context, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include phrases like 希冀 (xī jì - to hope for) and 冀望 (jì wàng - to expect). Be mindful of the third tone of jì, as mispronouncing it as the first tone could lead to confusion.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 冀 (jì) with 希 (xī) due to their similar meanings related to hope. For example, using 希冀 instead of 冀望 in a sentence can lead to awkward phrasing; ensure you use them in their appropriate contexts.

Write 冀

冀

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

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Word Family of 冀

Words containing this character7
冀jìsurname Ji
冀州Jishou county level city in Hengshui 衡水[Héng​shuǐ], Hebei
晋察冀Shanxi 山西, Chahar 察哈爾|察哈尔 and Hebei 河北 (three provinces of the Republic of China in the period 1912-1936)晉察冀
期冀to wish
冀州市Jishou county level city in Hengshui 衡水[Héng​shuǐ], Hebei
冀朝铸Ji Chaozhu (1929-), Chinese diplomat冀朝鑄
冀县Ji county in Hebei冀縣
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 冀

What does 冀州 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 冀

Common phrases include 希冀 (xī jì - to hope) and 冀望 (jì wàng - expectation).

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