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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) 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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 弛

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

  1. 1The meaning half弓 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half也 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybow
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 弛? 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 弛?

Decomposition of 弛

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

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component 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.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

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

Complete the Sentence

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)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
双手捏脚，目的也是使紧张的肌肉松弛下来。

shuāng shǒu niē jiǎo， ， mù de yě shì shǐ jǐn zhāng de jī ròu sōng chí xià。

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 duàn liàn20 20 fēn， zhōng ， jí shǐ zuì sōng chí de tún bù yě huì biàn。

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.

rán hòu tā bǎ shǒu zhāng kāi, , zài qīng qīng niē zhù le, jiǎng , ràng shuāng shǒu sōng chí.

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

Word Family of 弛

Words Containing This Character7
松弛sōngchíto relax鬆弛
弛chíto slacken
张弛tension and relaxation張弛
弛缓to relax弛緩
废弛to neglect廢弛
松弛法relaxation (alternative medicine)鬆弛法
懈弛slack (discipline)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

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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