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疾 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
疾jísicknessn, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #15710, Very Hard
疾jídiseasen, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #15710, Very Hard
疾jíhaten, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #15710, Very Hard
疾jíenvyn, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #15710, Very Hard
疾jíswiftn, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #15710, Very Hard
疾jísickness, illness, disease; to envy, to haten, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #15710, Very Hard
jí(ji2)ji T2
  1. 1sickness
  2. 2disease
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March 24, 2026

疾jí(ji2)

The character 疾 (jí) primarily refers to 'sickness' or 'disease,' encompassing both physical and emotional ailments. It can also express feelings of 'envy' or 'hate,' and in some contexts, it denotes 'swiftness.' This duality makes it versatile in both medical and emotional discussions.

Strokes10Radical疒Frequency#15710DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of 疾 is central, as it not only refers to physical illness but also emotional imbalances, reflecting the holistic view of health in Chinese culture.

Memory tip

Imagine a swift runner (the radical 疒 represents sickness) racing to escape from illness. The sound 'jí' can remind you of 'jive,' which you might associate with quick movements, linking speed and health.

Meanings of 疾

jí(ji2)
1sickness
2disease
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 疾 means.

About 疾

疾Simplified
10Strokes
疒Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#15710Frequency Rank

Podcast: 疾

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Podcast: 疾

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AI study notes for 疾

Quick Contrast

病 (bìng) - use 疾 (jí) when referring to a broader or more intense sense of sickness or disease, while 病 (bìng) is more commonly used for general illness.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 疾 with similar-sounding characters that express different meanings. It is more common in formal or literary contexts when discussing health or emotions. Common collocations include 疾病 (disease) and 疾苦 (suffering).

HSK Study Tips

Though not an HSK vocabulary word, 疾 connects with health-related terms at this level, such as 病 (bìng, illness) and 医 (yī, doctor). Focus on understanding its usage in medical contexts and emotional expressions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mispronounce 疾 as 'zhí' due to confusion with similar characters. The correct pronunciation is 'jí.' Additionally, mixing it up with 病 can lead to incorrect usage; remember, 疾 emphasizes severity.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 疾

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Etymology of 疾

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

Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 矢 represents the sound.

Memory hint

sickness

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

Origin

疾 = 疒 + 矢. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 疾

IDS Structure⿸疒矢
疾Full character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
矢shi3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 疾?

How to say sickness in Chinese

“sickness” in Chinese is疾jí

The character 疾 (jí) primarily refers to 'sickness' or 'disease,' encompassing both physical and emotional ailments. It can also express feelings of 'envy' or 'hate,' and in some contexts, it denotes 'swiftness.' This duality makes it versatile in both medical and emotional discussions.

When to use 疾

Be careful not to confuse 疾 with similar-sounding characters that express different meanings. It is more common in formal or literary contexts when discussing health or emotions. Common collocations include 疾病 (disease) and 疾苦 (suffering).

疾 or something close to it

病 (bìng) - use 疾 (jí) when referring to a broader or more intense sense of sickness or disease, while 病 (bìng) is more commonly used for general illness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mispronounce 疾 as 'zhí' due to confusion with similar characters. The correct pronunciation is 'jí.' Additionally, mixing it up with 病 can lead to incorrect usage; remember, 疾 emphasizes severity.

Write 疾

疾

Practice writing 疾 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 疾

疾 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 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 2

Fill the gap

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

这种____病极为罕见。

This disease is exceedingly rare.

Example sentences for 疾 (34)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
这种疾病传播的条件已经成熟。

zhè zhǒng jíbìng chuánbō de tiáojiàn yǐjīng chéngshú。

The conditions are ripe for the spread of disease.
2
你知道,残疾人士也拥有投票权。

nǐ zhīdào, cánjírén shì yě yōngyǒu tóupiào quán。

People with disabilities have got a vote as well, you know.
3
牙龈萎缩可能是疾病导致的,也可能仅仅是错误的刷牙方式引起的。

yá kěn wěisuō kěnéng shì jíbìng dǎozhì de, yě kěnéng jǐnjǐn shì cuòwù de shuāyá fāngshì yǐnqǐ de。

Receding gums can be the result of disease or simply incorrect brushing.
4
“痴呆”这一统称里包括多种不同的疾病。

“ chīdāi” zhè yī tǒng chèn lǐ bāokuò duōzhǒng bùtóng de jíbìng。

Within the umbrella term "dementia" there are many different kinds of disease.
5
该疾病一下子就使4,000万只兔子丧命。

gāi jíbìng yīxiàzi jiù shǐ4,000 wàn zhī tùzi sāng mìng。

The disease wiped out 40 million rabbits at a stroke.
6
他拼命地闪身躲开一辆试图撞倒他的疾驰的汽车。

tā pīnmìng dì shǎn shēn duǒ kāi yī liàng shìtú zhuàng dào tā de jí chí de qìchē。

He desperately dodged a speeding car trying to run him down.
7
他由于患轻度眼疾而不再担任队长一职。

tā yóuyú huàn qīng dù yǎn jí ér bùzài dānrèn duìzhǎng yī zhí。

His captaincy of the team was ended by mild eye trouble.
8
白内障是一种影响晶状体透明性的疾病。

bái nèi zhàng shì yī zhǒng yǐngxiǎng jīng zhuàng tǐ tòumíng xìng de jíbìng。

Cataracts is a condition that affects the transparency of the lenses.
9
他许诺任命一位艾滋病大使来应对这种疾病。

tā Xǔ nuò rènmìng yī wèi àizībìng dàshǐ lái yìngduì zhè zhǒng jíbìng。

He promised to appoint an AIDS czar to deal with the disease.
10
大约4%的犯人有慢性精神疾病。

dàyuē4% de fàn rén yǒu mànxìng jīngshen jíbìng。

About 4% of the prison population have chronic psychiatric illnesses.
11
他因为生了一场重疾,不能去上学。

Tā yīnwèi shēng le yì chǎng zhòng jí, bù néng qù shàngxué.

He couldn't go to school because he had a serious sickness.
12
这种疾很难治好。

Zhè zhǒng jí hěn nán zhì hǎo.

This sickness is hard to cure.
13
他去医院检查他的疾。

Tā qù yīyuàn jiǎnchá tā de jí.

He went to the hospital to check his sickness.
14
医生在努力研究这种新疾。

Yīshēng zài nǔlì yánjiū zhè zhǒng xīn jí.

Doctors are working hard to study this new sickness.
15
小明因为一种疾请了假。

Xiǎo Míng yīnwèi yī zhǒng jí qǐng le jià.

Xiao Ming took a leave because of a sickness.
16
这种疾需要去医院检查。

Zhè zhǒng jí xūyào qù yīyuàn jiǎnchá.

This kind of sickness needs to be checked at the hospital.
17
他因为生了一场重疾,不能去上学。

Tā yīnwèi shēng le yì chǎng zhòng jí, bù néng qù shàngxué.

He couldn't go to school because he had a serious sickness.
18
这种疾很难治好。

Zhè zhǒng jí hěn nán zhì hǎo.

This sickness is hard to cure.
19
他去医院检查他的疾。

Tā qù yīyuàn jiǎnchá tā de jí.

He went to the hospital to check his sickness.
20
医生在努力研究这种新疾。

Yīshēng zài nǔlì yánjiū zhè zhǒng xīn jí.

Doctors are working hard to study this new sickness.
21
小明因为一种疾请了假。

Xiǎo Míng yīnwèi yī zhǒng jí qǐng le jià.

Xiao Ming took a leave because of a sickness.
22
这种疾需要去医院检查。

Zhè zhǒng jí xūyào qù yīyuàn jiǎnchá.

This kind of sickness needs to be checked at the hospital.
23
他因为生了一场重疾,不能去上学。

Tā yīnwèi shēng le yì chǎng zhòng jí, bù néng qù shàngxué.

He couldn't go to school because he had a serious sickness.
24
这种疾很难治好。

Zhè zhǒng jí hěn nán zhì hǎo.

This sickness is hard to cure.
25
他去医院检查他的疾。

Tā qù yīyuàn jiǎnchá tā de jí.

He went to the hospital to check his sickness.
26
医生在努力研究这种新疾。

Yīshēng zài nǔlì yánjiū zhè zhǒng xīn jí.

Doctors are working hard to study this new sickness.
27
小明因为一种疾请了假。

Xiǎo Míng yīnwèi yī zhǒng jí qǐng le jià.

Xiao Ming took a leave because of a sickness.
28
这种疾需要去医院检查。

Zhè zhǒng jí xūyào qù yīyuàn jiǎnchá.

This kind of sickness needs to be checked at the hospital.
29
他因为生了一场重疾,不能去上学。

Tā yīnwèi shēng le yì chǎng zhòng jí, bù néng qù shàngxué.

He couldn't go to school because he had a serious sickness.
30
这种疾很难治好。

Zhè zhǒng jí hěn nán zhì hǎo.

This sickness is hard to cure.
31
他去医院检查他的疾。

Tā qù yīyuàn jiǎnchá tā de jí.

He went to the hospital to check his sickness.
32
医生在努力研究这种新疾。

Yīshēng zài nǔlì yánjiū zhè zhǒng xīn jí.

Doctors are working hard to study this new sickness.
33
小明因为一种疾请了假。

Xiǎo Míng yīnwèi yī zhǒng jí qǐng le jià.

Xiao Ming took a leave because of a sickness.
34
这种疾需要去医院检查。

Zhè zhǒng jí xūyào qù yīyuàn jiǎnchá.

This kind of sickness needs to be checked at the hospital.

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Word Family of 疾

Compounds5
嫉jíjealousy
蒺jífurze, gorse
愱jí
槉jí
螏jí
Words containing this character20
疾病jíbìngdisease
残疾人cánjíréndisabled person殘疾人
疾jísickness
残疾cánjídisabled殘疾
疟疾nüèjímalaria瘧疾
痢疾lìjidysentery
疾苦jíkǔpain and difficulties
疾驰jíchíto speed along疾馳
疾风jífēngstorm疾風
大声疾呼dàshēngjíhūto make one's views known大聲疾呼
痛心疾首tòngxīnjíshǒubitter and hateful (idiom)
顽疾wánjíineradicable disease頑疾
迅疾xùnjírapid
恶疾èjífoul disease惡疾
痼疾gùjíchronic disease
疾速jísùvery fast
疾走jízǒuto scamper
无疾而终wújí’érzhōngto die peacefully無疾而終
疾步jíbùat a fast pace
积劳成疾jīláochéngjíto accumulate work causes sickness (idiom); to fall ill from constant overwork積勞成疾
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 疾

What does 嫉 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 疾

While both mean 'illness,' 疾 generally refers to a more serious or acute condition, whereas 病 is more general and can refer to any kind of sickness.

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