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綦 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
綦qídark gray; variegated; superlativenr, 14 strokes, radical 糸
qí(qi2) T2
  1. 1dark gray; variegated; superlative
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

綦qí(qi2)

The character 綦 (qí) primarily means 'dark gray' or 'variegated', often used to describe colors in a nuanced way. It can also indicate a superlative form, emphasizing an extreme quality. This character is less common in everyday usage but may appear in literary contexts or specific descriptions of colors.

Strokes14Radical糸
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese art, color descriptions are often very specific, and characters like 綦 help convey subtleties that are important in painting and poetry. The use of specific colors can also reflect cultural symbolism, especially in landscapes.

Memory Tip

Imagine a dark gray sky filled with variegated clouds. The character 綦 looks somewhat like a swirling cloud (the '糸' component represents threads or connections, hinting at complexity), and 'qí' sounds like 'key', suggesting these colors are the key to understanding nuanced descriptions.

Meanings of 綦

qí(qi2)
1dark gray; variegated; superlative
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 綦

綦Simplified
14Strokes
糸Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 綦

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Podcast: 綦

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AI Study Notes for 綦

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 綦 with other similar-sounding characters. It is used more in formal writing or literature and less in casual speech. Common collocations include phrases describing colors or qualities, and remember to use the correct tone, as 'qí' is a second tone.

HSK Study Tips

Though not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding 綦 can enhance your grasp of color descriptions in Chinese. Connect it with other color-related words you learn at HSK levels to build a richer vocabulary in describing appearances.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 綦 with similar characters like 齐 (qí), which means 'neat' or 'even'. For example, saying '我喜欢綦颜色' (wǒ xǐhuān qí yánsè) to mean 'I like the superlative color' is incorrect; it should specify a color or context clearly.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 綦

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Etymology of 綦

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

silk

Semantic (meaning)糸
+
Phonetic (sound)其
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 綦

  1. 1The meaning half糸 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half其 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaysilk
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 綦? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 綦?

Decomposition of 綦

IDS Structure⿱其糸
綦Full Character
=
其qi2
top
糸mi4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 綦?

How to say dark gray; variegated; superlative in Chinese

“dark gray; variegated; superlative” in Chinese is綦qí

The character 綦 (qí) primarily means 'dark gray' or 'variegated', often used to describe colors in a nuanced way. It can also indicate a superlative form, emphasizing an extreme quality. This character is less common in everyday usage but may appear in literary contexts or specific descriptions of colors.

When to use 綦

Be cautious not to confuse 綦 with other similar-sounding characters. It is used more in formal writing or literature and less in casual speech. Common collocations include phrases describing colors or qualities, and remember to use the correct tone, as 'qí' is a second tone.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 綦 with similar characters like 齐 (qí), which means 'neat' or 'even'. For example, saying '我喜欢綦颜色' (wǒ xǐhuān qí yánsè) to mean 'I like the superlative color' is incorrect; it should specify a color or context clearly.

Write 綦

綦

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 綦

Words Containing This Character3
綦江Qijiang suburban county in Chongqing municipality, formerly in Sichuan
綦江县Qijiang suburban county in Chongqing municipality, formerly in Sichuan綦江縣
綦qídark gray
Exercise 1 of 3

Compound Meaning

What does 綦江 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 綦

No, 綦 is primarily used in literary contexts or specific descriptions rather than everyday speech.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 綦?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.