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喆 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
喆zhésage; wise, sagaciouszg, 12 strokes, radical 口, rank #25845, Very Hard
zhé(zhe2) T2
  1. 1sage; wise, sagacious
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

喆zhé(zhe2)

The character 喆 (zhé) refers to a sage or wise person, often used to describe someone with deep understanding and insight. It can be employed in contexts discussing wisdom, intellect, or sagacity, often carrying a positive connotation of respect for knowledgeable individuals.

Strokes12Radical口Frequency#25845DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, wisdom is highly valued, and figures of wisdom are often featured in literature and folklore. The character 喆 embodies this reverence for sage-like qualities, reflecting the Confucian emphasis on learning and moral integrity.

Memory Tip

Imagine a wise sage sitting on a mountain, surrounded by nature's beauty. The components of the character can be visualized as the mouth (口) speaking wise words, and the 's' (as in 'sage') sound in 'zhé' helps you remember its pronunciation and meaning.

Meanings of 喆

zhé(zhe2)
1sage; wise, sagacious
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 喆

喆Simplified
12Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 喆

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Podcast: 喆

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 喆

Quick Contrast

智 (zhì) - use 喆 (zhé) when emphasizing wisdom in a sage-like context, while 智 (zhì) focuses more on intelligence or cleverness.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 喆 (zhé) with similar characters like 哲 (zhé, which also means 'philosophy' or 'wise'). Make sure to use 喆 in contexts relating to wisdom. The tone is crucial; ensure you pronounce it with the second tone to convey the correct meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 喆 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it relates to themes of wisdom and knowledge found in other HSK words such as 智慧 (zhìhuì, wisdom) and 聪明 (cōngmíng, smart). Focus on understanding its use in literary or philosophical contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 喆 interchangeably with 哲, leading to confusion. For instance, saying '他是一个喆的人' (tā shì yīgè zhé de rén) instead of '他是一个哲的人' (tā shì yīgè zhè de rén) would be incorrect, as 哲 is the more appropriate term for 'philosophical.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 喆

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Etymology of 喆

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 折 represents the sound. Simplified form of 喆.

Memory Hint

Extremely lucky 吉; 吉 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 喆

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 折 represents the sound. Simplified form of 喆.

  1. 1The giveawayExtremely lucky 吉; 吉 also provides the pronunciation
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 喆? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 喆?

Decomposition of 喆

IDS Structure⿰吉吉
喆Full Character
=
吉Ji2
left
吉Ji2
right
Exercise 1 of 1

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 喆?

How to say sage; wise, sagacious in Chinese

“sage; wise, sagacious” in Chinese is喆zhé

The character 喆 (zhé) refers to a sage or wise person, often used to describe someone with deep understanding and insight. It can be employed in contexts discussing wisdom, intellect, or sagacity, often carrying a positive connotation of respect for knowledgeable individuals.

When to use 喆

Learners often confuse 喆 (zhé) with similar characters like 哲 (zhé, which also means 'philosophy' or 'wise'). Make sure to use 喆 in contexts relating to wisdom. The tone is crucial; ensure you pronounce it with the second tone to convey the correct meaning.

喆 or something close to it

智 (zhì) - use 喆 (zhé) when emphasizing wisdom in a sage-like context, while 智 (zhì) focuses more on intelligence or cleverness.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 喆 interchangeably with 哲, leading to confusion. For instance, saying '他是一个喆的人' (tā shì yīgè zhé de rén) instead of '他是一个哲的人' (tā shì yīgè zhè de rén) would be incorrect, as 哲 is the more appropriate term for 'philosophical.'

Write 喆

喆

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 喆

Words Containing This Character9
哲学zhéxuéphilosophy哲學
哲zhéwise
哲学家philosopher哲學家
哲理philosophy
哲人wise man
范思哲Versace (fashion designer)
明哲保身a wise man looks after his own hide (idiom)
麦哲伦Magellan (1480-1521), Portuguese explorer麥哲倫
李哲Li Zhe, personal name of fourth Tang Emperor Zhongzong 唐中宗[Táng​Zhōng​zōng] (656-710), reigned 705-710
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 哲学 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 喆

喆 is primarily used in literary contexts or names, often to denote wisdom or insight.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 喆?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.