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嫉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
嫉
jí
jealousy
v, 13 strokes, radical 女, rank #46347, Very Hard
嫉
jí
to be jealous of
v, 13 strokes, radical 女, rank #46347, Very Hard
嫉
jí
jealous, envious
v, 13 strokes, radical 女, rank #46347, Very Hard
jí(ji2)ji T2
1jealousy
2to be jealous of
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March 24, 2026
嫉jí(ji2)
嫉 (jí) refers to the feeling of jealousy or envy towards someone else's success or possessions. It is commonly used in contexts where one feels threatened or inadequate in comparison to another, often relating to personal relationships or achievements.
Strokes13Radical女Frequency#46347DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note
Jealousy is often viewed negatively in Chinese culture, especially in familial or close relationships, where harmony is highly valued. The concept of '嫉' can reflect the traditional belief that envy disrupts social harmony.
Memory tip
Imagine a person with a green-eyed monster lurking behind them, symbolizing jealousy. The character 嫉 looks like a person (女) being shadowed by a monstrous figure (the radical 忄), representing the emotional turmoil of jealousy. Remember, 'jí' sounds like 'jealousy' to help you recall its meaning.
Meanings of 嫉
jí(ji2)
1jealousy
2to be jealous of
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 嫉
嫉Simplified
13Strokes
女Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#46347Frequency Rank
Podcast: 嫉
Podcast: 嫉
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AI study notes for 嫉
Quick Contrast
嫉 (jí) vs 嫉妒 (jídù) — use 嫉 for a more general sense of jealousy, while 嫉妒 specifically emphasizes the emotional state of envy.
Usage Notes
嫉 is typically used in more formal contexts and may not be as common in everyday conversation. Learners should be cautious with its tone; using it inappropriately can convey a strong negative sentiment. Common collocations include 嫉妒 (jí dù) meaning 'to be jealous of'.
HSK Study Tips
While 嫉 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it connects to HSK Level 5 words related to emotions and interpersonal relationships. Focus on its usage in expressions of jealousy to better understand the emotional landscape in Chinese.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 嫉 with related terms like 羡慕 (xiànmù), which means 'to admire' or 'to envy positively.' For example, saying '我嫉他的成功' (wǒ jí tā de chénggōng) is incorrect if meant positively; it should be '我羡慕他的成功' (wǒ xiànmù tā de chénggōng).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 嫉
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嫉 (jí) refers to the feeling of jealousy or envy towards someone else's success or possessions. It is commonly used in contexts where one feels threatened or inadequate in comparison to another, often relating to personal relationships or achievements.
When to use 嫉
嫉 is typically used in more formal contexts and may not be as common in everyday conversation. Learners should be cautious with its tone; using it inappropriately can convey a strong negative sentiment. Common collocations include 嫉妒 (jí dù) meaning 'to be jealous of'.
嫉 or something close to it
嫉 (jí) vs 嫉妒 (jídù) — use 嫉 for a more general sense of jealousy, while 嫉妒 specifically emphasizes the emotional state of envy.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 嫉 with related terms like 羡慕 (xiànmù), which means 'to admire' or 'to envy positively.' For example, saying '我嫉他的成功' (wǒ jí tā de chénggōng) is incorrect if meant positively; it should be '我羡慕他的成功' (wǒ xiànmù tā de chénggōng).
Write 嫉
嫉
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Grammar patterns of 嫉
嫉 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 3 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 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
正如一位愤世____俗的旧主顾所说的那样，“他很可能把差额塞进了自己的腰包！”
As one former customer said cynically, "He's probably pocketed the difference!"
Example sentences for 嫉 (10)
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1
正如一位愤世嫉俗的旧主顾所说的那样，“他很可能把差额塞进了自己的腰包！”
zhèngrú yī wèi fèn shì jí sú de jiù zhǔ gù suǒ shuō de nàyàng，“ tā hěn kěnéng bǎ chā’é sāi jìn le zìjǐ de yāo bāo！”
As one former customer said cynically, "He's probably pocketed the difference!"
