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窒 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
窒zhìto obstruct, to stopv, 11 strokes, radical 穴, rank #48351, Very Hard
窒zhìto stop upunknown, 11 strokes, radical 穴, rank #48351, Very Hard
zhì(zhi4)zhi T4
  1. 1to obstruct, to stop
  2. 2to stop up
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March 24, 2026

窒zhì(zhi4)

The character 窒 (zhì) means to obstruct or to stop something, often referring to a blockage or hindrance. It is commonly used in contexts where an action or process is hindered, such as in medical terms related to respiratory issues or in discussions about physical barriers.

Strokes11Radical穴Frequency#48351DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of obstruction is significant, often related to the flow of 'Qi' (气), which must not be obstructed for good health. This character might appear in discussions about health and wellness.

Memory tip

Imagine a 'window' (the radical '窓' represents a window) getting 'stopped up' with a thick fog blocking your view. The sound 'zhì' can remind you of 'shut'—as if the fog has shut out the view, creating an obstruction.

Meanings of 窒

zhì(zhi4)
1to obstruct, to stop
2to stop up
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 窒

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

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Podcast: 窒

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AI study notes for 窒

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the context in which you use 窒; it is more formal and may not be suitable for casual conversations. Common collocations include 窒息 (zhìxī, to suffocate) and 窒碍 (zhì'ài, to hinder). Ensure you use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning.

HSK Study Tips

While 窒 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, understanding it can help learners at higher levels grasp medical or technical texts. Focus on its usage in compound words and practice its pronunciation to differentiate it from similar-sounding characters.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 窒 with similar-sounding characters, such as 质 (zhì, quality), leading to misunderstandings. For example, saying '质塞' instead of '窒塞' when referring to a blockage is incorrect; use 窒塞 (zhìsāi) for obstruction.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 窒

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Etymology of 窒

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

Phonosemantic compound. 穴 represents the meaning and 至 represents the sound.

Memory hint

cave

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

Origin

窒 = 穴 + 至. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 窒

IDS Structure⿱穴至
窒Full character
=
穴xue2
top
至zhi4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 窒?

How to say to obstruct, to stop in Chinese

“to obstruct, to stop” in Chinese is窒zhì

The character 窒 (zhì) means to obstruct or to stop something, often referring to a blockage or hindrance. It is commonly used in contexts where an action or process is hindered, such as in medical terms related to respiratory issues or in discussions about physical barriers.

When to use 窒

Be cautious with the context in which you use 窒; it is more formal and may not be suitable for casual conversations. Common collocations include 窒息 (zhìxī, to suffocate) and 窒碍 (zhì'ài, to hinder). Ensure you use the correct tone, as mispronouncing it can change the meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 窒 with similar-sounding characters, such as 质 (zhì, quality), leading to misunderstandings. For example, saying '质塞' instead of '窒塞' when referring to a blockage is incorrect; use 窒塞 (zhìsāi) for obstruction.

Write 窒

窒

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

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Grammar patterns of 窒

窒 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 2 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 4

Fill the gap

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

她厌倦了自己生活令人____息的一成不变。

She was bored with the deadening routine of her life.

Example sentences for 窒 (7)

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1
她厌倦了自己生活令人窒息的一成不变。

tā yànjuàn le zìjǐ shēnghuó lìng rén zhìxī de yìchéngbúbiàn。

She was bored with the deadening routine of her life.
2
那座城市的街道肮脏不堪,弥漫着令人窒息的废气。

nà zuò chéngshì de jiēdào āng zāng bùkān, mímàn zhe lìng rén zhìxī de fèi qì。

The city's streets are filthy and choked with exhaust fumes.
3
再输入并带上“窒息”,安东尼真的在掐他.

zài shūrù bìng dài shàng“ zhìxī”, Ān dōng ní zhēnde zài qiā tā.

Type his name with choke and see Carmelo Anthony literally choking him.
4
那房间闻起来有股窒闷潮湿的味道.

nà fángjiān wén qǐlái yǒu gǔ zhì mēn cháoshī de wèidào.

The room smells a close damp smell.
5
火患发生时, 他被困在舱底下窒息而死.

huǒ huàn fāshēng shí, tā bèi kùn zài cāng dǐxia zhìxī ér sǐ.

During the fire, he was trapped under the cabin and was suffocated to death.
6
几层的人,窒息的汗臭.

jǐ céng de rén, zhìxī de hàn chòu.

The air was suffocating and reeked of sweat.
7
火成碎屑崩落的最大危害可能是炽热和窒息作用.

huǒ chéng suì xiè bēng là de zuì dà wēihài kěnéng shì chì rè hé zhìxī zuòyòng.

The greatest dangers of pyroclastic avalanches are probably heat and suffocation.

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Word Family of 窒

Words containing this character2
窒息zhìxīto choke
窒zhìto obstruct
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 窒

What does 窒息 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 窒

It is pronounced as 'zhì', with a falling tone.

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