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弛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
弛chíto loosen, to relax; to unstring a bowzg, 6 strokes, radical 弓, rank #54179, Very Hard
弛chíto slackenunknown, 6 strokes, radical 弓, rank #54179, Very Hard
chí(chi2)chi T2
  1. 1to loosen, to relax; to unstring a bow
  2. 2to slacken
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March 24, 2026

弛chí(chi2)

The character 弛 (chí) means 'to loosen' or 'to relax.' It is often used in contexts where something is being unstrung or released from tension, such as a bowstring or the act of relaxing one's body or mind. This term conveys a sense of easing or reducing strain.

Strokes6Radical弓Frequency#54179DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the idea of relaxation is often linked to practices such as Tai Chi and meditation, which emphasize the importance of loosening both the body and mind. The word 弛 reflects this cultural value of finding balance and tranquility.

Memory tip

Imagine a bow being drawn tight, and then you let it go, causing the string to relax and become loose. The character 弛 resembles a bow (弓) on the left, representing the action of unstringing, while the right component (池) can be visualized as a calm pool of water, symbolizing relaxation.

Meanings of 弛

chí(chi2)
1to loosen, to relax; to unstring a bow
2to slacken
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 弛 means.

About 弛

弛Simplified
6Strokes
弓Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 弛

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Podcast: 弛

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AI study notes for 弛

Quick Contrast

松 (sōng) - use 弛 (chí) when emphasizing the act of loosening or relaxing tension, while 松 (sōng) often refers to being loose in a more general sense without the connotation of active relaxation.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 弛 with similar-sounding characters, as its usage is more specific to relaxation and loosening. This term is more often used in written Chinese and can appear in both formal and informal contexts. Common collocations include '放松' (fàngsōng, to relax) and '心情放松' (xīnqíng fàngsōng, to relax one's mood).

HSK Study Tips

Although 弛 is not officially listed in HSK levels, it shares roots with characters related to relaxation and rest, such as 放 (fàng, to release). Students should focus on understanding how it is used in conjunction with other relaxation-related terms to build a broader vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 弛 with 志 (zhì, to aspire), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. Remember that 弛 specifically relates to relaxation, while 志 is about intent or ambition.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 弛

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Etymology of 弛

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

Phonosemantic compound. 弓 represents the meaning and 也 represents the sound.

Memory hint

bow

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

Origin

弛 = 弓 + 也. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 弛

IDS Structure⿰弓也
弛Full character
=
弓Gong1
left
也Ye3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 弛?

How to say to loosen, to relax; to unstring a bow in Chinese

“to loosen, to relax; to unstring a bow” in Chinese is弛chí

The character 弛 (chí) means 'to loosen' or 'to relax.' It is often used in contexts where something is being unstrung or released from tension, such as a bowstring or the act of relaxing one's body or mind. This term conveys a sense of easing or reducing strain.

When to use 弛

Be careful not to confuse 弛 with similar-sounding characters, as its usage is more specific to relaxation and loosening. This term is more often used in written Chinese and can appear in both formal and informal contexts. Common collocations include '放松' (fàngsōng, to relax) and '心情放松' (xīnqíng fàngsōng, to relax one's mood).

弛 or something close to it

松 (sōng) - use 弛 (chí) when emphasizing the act of loosening or relaxing tension, while 松 (sōng) often refers to being loose in a more general sense without the connotation of active relaxation.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 弛 with 志 (zhì, to aspire), leading to incorrect usage in sentences. Remember that 弛 specifically relates to relaxation, while 志 is about intent or ambition.

Write 弛

弛

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

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Grammar patterns of 弛

弛 carries 2 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Exercise 1 of 3

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

双手捏脚,目的也是使紧张的肌肉松____下来。

Squeeze the foot with both hands, again to loosen up tight muscles.

Example sentences for 弛 (3)

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1
双手捏脚,目的也是使紧张的肌肉松弛下来。

shuāngshǒu niē jiǎo, mùdì yě shì shǐ jǐnzhāng de jīròu sōngchí xiàlái。

Squeeze the foot with both hands, again to loosen up tight muscles.
2
每天只锻炼20分钟,即使最松弛的臀部也会变挺翘。

měi tiān zhī duànliàn20 fēnzhōng, jíshǐ zuì sōngchí de tún bù yě huì biàn tǐng qiào。

Exercise for just 20 minutes a day to firm up even the saggiest bottom.
3
然后他把手张开,再轻轻捏住了桨,让双手松弛下来.

ránhòu tā bǎshou zhāng kāi, zài qīng qīng niē zhù le jiǎng, ràng shuāngshǒu sōngchí xiàlái.

Then he opened and closed them on it lightly to loosen them.

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Word Family of 弛

Words containing this character7
松弛sōngchíto relax鬆弛
弛chíto slacken
张弛zhāngchítension and relaxation張弛
弛缓chíhuǎnto relax弛緩
废弛fèichíto neglect廢弛
松弛法sōngchífǎrelaxation (alternative medicine)鬆弛法
懈弛xièchíslack (discipline)
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 弛

What does 松弛 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 弛

You can say '我需要放松一下,弛缓一下心情' (Wǒ xūyào fàngsōng yīxià, chí huǎn yīxià xīnqíng), meaning 'I need to relax a bit and ease my mood.'

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