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惕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
惕tìfearfulg, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #35356, Very Hard
惕tìrespectfulg, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #35356, Very Hard
惕tìcautious, careful, alertg, 11 strokes, radical 忄, rank #35356, Very Hard
tì(ti4)ti T4
  1. 1fearful
  2. 2respectful
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March 24, 2026

惕tì(ti4)

The character 惕 (tì) conveys the idea of being alert or cautious, often in a context of fear or respect. It is commonly used to describe a state of heightened awareness or vigilance, especially in situations that may involve danger or require careful consideration.

Strokes11Radical忄Frequency#35356DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being alert and cautious is often valued, especially in contexts like business dealings or interpersonal relationships, where respect and awareness of others' feelings are crucial.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'tiger' (the sound 'tì' can remind you of 'tiger') lurking in the shadows, making you feel fearful and alert. The character 惕 includes the 心 (heart) radical, suggesting that this feeling of alertness comes from the heart, emphasizing emotional awareness.

Meanings of 惕

tì(ti4)
1fearful
2respectful
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 惕 means.

About 惕

惕Simplified
11Strokes
忄Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#35356Frequency Rank

Podcast: 惕

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Podcast: 惕

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AI Study Notes for 惕

Quick Contrast

警惕 (jǐngtì) vs 惕 (tì) — use 惕 for a more formal or literary context, while 警惕 is more common in everyday speech.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 惕 with similar characters like 怕 (pà), which means 'to be afraid' but lacks the nuance of respect or caution. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, often collocating with words related to vigilance, such as 惕惧 (tìjù) meaning 'to be fearful and vigilant'. Be mindful of the tone; it is pronounced with a falling tone (tì).

HSK Study Tips

While 惕 is not currently part of the HSK vocabulary, it is beneficial for learners at higher levels to understand emotional and psychological states. Focus on its usage in phrases to enhance comprehension of context and nuance, especially in literature or formal writing.

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 惕 with 惧 (jù), which focuses solely on fear without the careful aspect. For example, saying '我惧' is incorrect; it should be '我惕' to convey being alert rather than just scared.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 惕

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Etymology of 惕

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

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 易 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

heart

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

Origin

惕 = 忄 + 易. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 惕

IDS Structure⿰忄易
惕Full Character
=
忄xin1
left
易Yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 惕?

How to say fearful in Chinese

“fearful” in Chinese is惕tì

The character 惕 (tì) conveys the idea of being alert or cautious, often in a context of fear or respect. It is commonly used to describe a state of heightened awareness or vigilance, especially in situations that may involve danger or require careful consideration.

When to use 惕

Learners often confuse 惕 with similar characters like 怕 (pà), which means 'to be afraid' but lacks the nuance of respect or caution. It is used in both formal and informal contexts, often collocating with words related to vigilance, such as 惕惧 (tìjù) meaning 'to be fearful and vigilant'. Be mindful of the tone; it is pronounced with a falling tone (tì).

惕 or something close to it

警惕 (jǐngtì) vs 惕 (tì) — use 惕 for a more formal or literary context, while 警惕 is more common in everyday speech.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 惕 with 惧 (jù), which focuses solely on fear without the careful aspect. For example, saying '我惧' is incorrect; it should be '我惕' to convey being alert rather than just scared.

Write 惕

惕

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

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Grammar Patterns of 惕

惕 carries 3 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 2

Fill the gap

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

她警____地看着我,似乎担心我会动粗。

She studied me warily, as if I might turn violent.

Example Sentences for 惕 (2)

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1
她警惕地看着我,似乎担心我会动粗。

tā jǐng tì dì kàn zháo wǒ, , sì hū dān xīn wǒ huì dòng。

She studied me warily, as if I might turn violent.
2
银行家们对结果保持高度警惕。

yín háng jiā mén duì jié guǒ bǎo chí gāo dù jǐng tì。

Bankers are keeping a wary eye on the outcome.

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Word Family of 惕

Words Containing This Character4
警惕jǐngtìvigilant
警惕性vigilance
惕tìfearful
朝乾夕惕cautious and diligent all day long (idiom)
Exercise 1 of 3

Words with 惕

What does 警惕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 惕

You can say '我感到很惕' (Wǒ gǎndào hěn tì), meaning 'I feel very alert/cautious.'

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