Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
岐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
岐qíto diverge, to branch; the name of a mountainzg, 7 strokes, radical 山, rank #28295, Very Hard
岐qíalso used in place namesunknown, 7 strokes, radical 山, rank #28295, Very Hard
岐qísurname Qiunknown, 7 strokes, radical 山, rank #28295, Very Hard
qí(Qi2) T2
  1. 1to diverge, to branch; the name of a mountain
  2. 2also used in place names
Also a Chinese surname, Qi — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

岐qí(Qi2)

The character 岐 (qí) primarily means 'to diverge' or 'to branch,' often used in contexts describing roads or paths that split apart. It can also refer to the name of a mountain, or be used as a surname, particularly in certain regions of China. This character is commonly found in place names, indicating geographical features.

Strokes7Radical山Frequency#28295DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

The character 岐 is associated with several mountains in China, which often hold cultural significance, such as being sites for spiritual practices or historical events. For example, Qishan Mountain is linked to various legends and is a popular destination for tourists.

Memory Tip

Imagine a tree with branches that diverge into two paths, representing 岐 (qí). The radical 岗 (mountain) hints at its connection to the name of a mountain, while the sound 'qí' can remind you of 'key,' as in the key to understanding branching paths.

Meanings of 岐

qí(Qi2)
1to diverge, to branch; the name of a mountain
2also used in place names
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 岐

岐Simplified
7Strokes
山Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 岐

JasonAmy

Podcast: 岐

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 岐

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 岐 with similar-sounding characters. It's used more in literary or geographical contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversation. Common collocations include 岐路 (divergent paths) and 岐山 (Qishan Mountain).

HSK Study Tips

While 岐 is not currently included in the HSK vocabulary lists, studying it can enhance understanding of place names and geographical terms you might encounter. Focus on recognizing it in context and differentiating it from phonetically similar characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly pronounce 岐 as 'jī' instead of 'qí', confusing it with other characters. It's important to remember the rising tone to convey the correct meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 岐

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 岐 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 岐

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

Phonosemantic compound. 山 represents the meaning and 支 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

mountain

Semantic (meaning)山
+
Phonetic (sound)支
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 岐

Phonosemantic compound. 山 represents the meaning and 支 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half山 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half支 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymountain
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 岐? 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 岐?

Decomposition of 岐

IDS Structure⿰山支
岐Full Character
=
山Shan1
left
支Zhi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 岐?

How to say to diverge, to branch; the name of a mountain in Chinese

“to diverge, to branch; the name of a mountain” in Chinese is岐qí

The character 岐 (qí) primarily means 'to diverge' or 'to branch,' often used in contexts describing roads or paths that split apart. It can also refer to the name of a mountain, or be used as a surname, particularly in certain regions of China. This character is commonly found in place names, indicating geographical features.

When to use 岐

Learners often confuse 岐 with similar-sounding characters. It's used more in literary or geographical contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversation. Common collocations include 岐路 (divergent paths) and 岐山 (Qishan Mountain).

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly pronounce 岐 as 'jī' instead of 'qí', confusing it with other characters. It's important to remember the rising tone to convey the correct meaning.

Write 岐

岐

Practice writing 岐 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 岐

Words Containing This Character6
岐qísurname Qi
王岐山Wang Qishan (1948-), PRC politician
岐山Qishan County in Baoji 寶雞|宝鸡[Bǎo​jī], Shaanxi
岐山县Qishan County in Baoji 寶雞|宝鸡[Bǎo​jī], Shaanxi岐山縣
岐阜县Gifu prefecture, Japan岐阜縣
赵岐Zhao Qi (-201 BC), early Han commentator on Mencius 孟子[Mèng​zǐ]趙岐
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 岐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 岐

Common phrases include 岐路 (qí lù) meaning 'divergent paths' and 岐山 (qí shān) referring to Qishan Mountain.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 岐?

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.