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祗 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
祗zhīto revere, to respect, to look up tog, 9 strokes, radical 礻, rank #32124, Very Hard
祗zhīrespectful (ly)unknown, 9 strokes, radical 礻, rank #32124, Very Hard
zhī(zhi1)zhi T1
  1. 1to revere, to respect, to look up to
  2. 2respectful (ly)
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March 24, 2026

祗zhī(zhi1)

The character 祗 (zhī) conveys a sense of reverence or respect, often used in formal contexts to denote honor towards a person or deity. It can also imply looking up to someone with admiration, reflecting a deep acknowledgment of their status or worth.

Strokes9Radical礻Frequency#32124DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, respect is paramount, especially in hierarchical relationships. The character 祗 reflects this cultural value, often seen in traditional ceremonies and when addressing elders or authority figures.

Memory tip

Imagine a person bowing deeply in front of a shrine, showing utmost respect. The character 祗 features the radical 示 (shì), which relates to rituals and offerings, suggesting a connection to reverence in a spiritual context. The pronunciation 'zhī' can be remembered as a soft whisper of respect.

Meanings of 祗

zhī(zhi1)
1to revere, to respect, to look up to
2respectful (ly)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 祗

祗Simplified
9Strokes
礻Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 祗

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Podcast: 祗

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AI study notes for 祗

Usage Notes

This character is often used in formal writing or speeches, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include 祗敬 (zhī jìng, to respect) and 祗仰 (zhī yǎng, to look up to). Watch out for tone mistakes; ensure 'zhī' is pronounced with the first tone.

HSK Study Tips

Although 祗 is not included in the official HSK levels, it connects with other words about respect and honor that learners might encounter. Focus on recognizing its usage in formal contexts, as it will enhance your understanding of respectful language.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 祗 with similar characters like 尊 (zūn), which also means respect but has a broader usage. For example, saying '我祗他的意见' (I respect his opinion) is incorrect; it should be '我尊重他的意见'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 祗

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Etymology of 祗

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

Phonosemantic compound. 礻 represents the meaning and 氐 represents the sound.

Memory hint

spirit

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

Origin

祗 = 礻 + 氐. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 祗

IDS Structure⿰礻氐
祗Full character
=
礻shi4
left
氐Di1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 祗?

How to say to revere, to respect, to look up to in Chinese

“to revere, to respect, to look up to” in Chinese is祗zhī

The character 祗 (zhī) conveys a sense of reverence or respect, often used in formal contexts to denote honor towards a person or deity. It can also imply looking up to someone with admiration, reflecting a deep acknowledgment of their status or worth.

When to use 祗

This character is often used in formal writing or speeches, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include 祗敬 (zhī jìng, to respect) and 祗仰 (zhī yǎng, to look up to). Watch out for tone mistakes; ensure 'zhī' is pronounced with the first tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 祗 with similar characters like 尊 (zūn), which also means respect but has a broader usage. For example, saying '我祗他的意见' (I respect his opinion) is incorrect; it should be '我尊重他的意见'.

Write 祗

祗

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

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Word Family of 祗

Words containing this character1
祗zhīrespectful (ly)

Frequently asked questions about 祗

You can use it like this: 我们应该祗敬长辈 (We should respect our elders).

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