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徑 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
徑jìngpath, diameter; straight, directzg, 10 strokes, radical 彳, rank #84330, Very Hard
jìng(jing4) T4
  1. 1path, diameter; straight, direct
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

徑jìng(jing4)

The character 徑 (jìng) primarily means 'path' or 'way,' but it can also refer to 'diameter' in a mathematical context. It is commonly used in phrases that describe direct routes or straightforward methods, often emphasizing efficiency or simplicity.

Strokes10Radical彳Frequency#84330DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of a 'path' can relate to philosophical ideas like 'Tao' (道), which emphasizes the journey of life and the importance of following a clear way.

Memory Tip

Imagine a straight path leading to a destination, symbolizing clarity and directness. The character 徑 looks like a person walking down a path (亻) with a tree (木) nearby, illustrating a clear direction.

Meanings of 徑

jìng(jing4)
1path, diameter; straight, direct
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 徑

徑Simplified
10Strokes
彳Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 徑

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Podcast: 徑

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AI Study Notes for 徑

Quick Contrast

径 (jìng, path) vs 路 (lù, road) — use 径 for a more direct or specific path, while 路 is broader and can refer to any road.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 徑 with similar characters like 路 (lù), which means 'road.' It's important to use 徑 in contexts where directness or a specific path is emphasized. Note that it can be formal in written Chinese but is less commonly used in everyday conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While 徑 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with basic characters related to paths and movement, such as 路 (lù). Students should focus on recognizing and using it in specific contexts, especially in reading and writing about travel or geometry.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 徑 when they mean 'road' or 'street,' which should be represented by 路 (lù). For example, saying '我走在这条径上' (wǒ zǒu zài zhè tiáo jìng shàng) instead of '路' is incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 徑

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Etymology of 徑

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

step

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 徑

  1. 1The meaning half彳 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half巠 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaystep
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 徑? 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 徑?

Decomposition of 徑

IDS Structure⿰彳巠
徑Full Character
=
彳chi4
left
巠jing1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 徑?

How to say path, diameter; straight, direct in Chinese

“path, diameter; straight, direct” in Chinese is徑jìng

The character 徑 (jìng) primarily means 'path' or 'way,' but it can also refer to 'diameter' in a mathematical context. It is commonly used in phrases that describe direct routes or straightforward methods, often emphasizing efficiency or simplicity.

When to use 徑

Learners often confuse 徑 with similar characters like 路 (lù), which means 'road.' It's important to use 徑 in contexts where directness or a specific path is emphasized. Note that it can be formal in written Chinese but is less commonly used in everyday conversation.

徑 or something close to it

径 (jìng, path) vs 路 (lù, road) — use 径 for a more direct or specific path, while 路 is broader and can refer to any road.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 徑 when they mean 'road' or 'street,' which should be represented by 路 (lù). For example, saying '我走在这条径上' (wǒ zǒu zài zhè tiáo jìng shàng) instead of '路' is incorrect.

Write 徑

徑

Practice writing 徑 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 徑

Words Containing This Character20
途径tújìngway途徑
口径kǒujìngcaliber口徑
直径zhíjìngdiameter直徑
捷径shortcut捷徑
径jìngtrack徑
田径tiánjìngtrack and field (athletics)田徑
路径path路徑
半径radius半徑
行径path行徑
径直directly徑直
大相径庭poles apart大相徑庭
小径alley小徑
径自without leave徑自
蹊径path蹊徑
径向radial (direction)徑向
粒径grain size粒徑
孔径diameter of hole孔徑
径流runoff徑流
另辟蹊径to find an alternative另闢蹊徑
独辟蹊径to blaze a new trail (idiom); to display originality獨辟蹊徑
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 途径 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 徑

You can say, '这条径很直接' (zhè tiáo jìng hěn zhíjiē), meaning 'This path is very direct.'

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