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掖 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
to tuck, to fold; to supportv, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to tuck (into a pocket)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to support by the armunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to hideunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to helpunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to concealunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to promoteunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
at the sideunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
also pr. [yi4]unknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to tuck, to fold; to supportv, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to tuck (into a pocket)unknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to support by the armunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to hideunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to helpunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to concealunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
to promoteunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
at the sideunknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
also pr. [yi4]unknown, 11 strokes, radical 扌, rank #23006, Hard
(ye1)
primary
T1
  1. 1to tuck, to fold; to support
  2. 2to tuck (into a pocket)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

(ye1)

The character 掖 (yē) primarily means 'to tuck' or 'to fold,' often in the context of clothing or items being secured or hidden. It can also convey the idea of supporting or helping someone, making it versatile in both physical and metaphorical contexts, such as aiding someone discreetly.

Strokes11RadicalFrequency#23006DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of tucking or concealing items can reflect values of modesty and discretion, often seen in traditional practices where items are kept hidden until needed.

Memory Tip

Imagine tucking a friend under your arm as you walk together, symbolizing both support and concealment. The character 掖 resembles a hand (扌) tucking something in (the bottom part) while the '口' represents the pocket where things might be hidden.

Meanings of 掖

(ye1)
primary
1to tuck, to fold; to support
2to tuck (into a pocket)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 掖

Simplified
11Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 掖

JasonAmy

Podcast:

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 掖

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine tucking a friend under your arm as you walk together, symbolizing both support and concealment. The character 掖 resembles a hand (扌) tucking something in (the bottom part) while the '口' represents the pocket where things might be hidden.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 掖 with similar characters like 抱 (bào), which means 'to hold.' This character is more informal and is rarely used in formal writing. Be cautious of the pronunciation as it can also be read as [yi4] in different contexts, which can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 掖 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it shares components with higher-level words and can be linked to verbs of action and support. Students should focus on recognizing the context in which this character is used to enhance their comprehension.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of tucking or concealing items can reflect values of modesty and discretion, often seen in traditional practices where items are kept hidden until needed.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 掖 with 抱 (bào) due to similar meanings related to support. For instance, saying '我抱着他' (wǒ bào zhe tā) instead of '我掖着他' (wǒ yē zhe tā) when referring to simply helping someone can lead to awkwardness in context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 掖

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Etymology of 掖

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 夜 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 掖?

Decomposition of 掖

IDS Structure⿰扌夜
Full Character
=
shou3
left
ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 掖?

Write 掖

Practice writing 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 掖

掖 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 9 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

会有人给他____好被子,让他舒舒服服地睡觉。

He would be tucked comfortably into bed.

Example Sentences for 掖 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
会有人给他掖好被子,让他舒舒服服地睡觉。

huì yǒu rén gěi tā yè hǎo bèi zǐ, , ràng tā shū shū fú fú dì shuì。

He would be tucked comfortably into bed.

Cultural Notes for 掖

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the act of tucking or concealing items can reflect values of modesty and discretion, often seen in traditional practices where items are kept hidden until needed.

Word Family of 掖

Words Containing This Character10
to help
张掖Zhangye prefecture level city in Gansu張掖
张掖市Zhangye prefecture level city in Gansu張掖市
奖掖to reward and promote獎掖
宫掖palace apartments宮掖
扶掖to support
张掖地区Zhangye prefecture, Gansu (old term)張掖地區
藏掖hiding place
藏藏掖掖to conceal
提掖to guide and support sb
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 掖 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 掖

Common phrases might include 掖着 (yē zhe), meaning 'tucked in,' or 掖在口袋里 (yē zài kǒudài lǐ), meaning 'tucked in the pocket.'