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羈 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
羈jīhalter; to restrain, to hold, to controlx, 24 strokes, radical 罒
jī(ji1) T1
  1. 1halter; to restrain, to hold, to control
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March 24, 2026

羈jī(ji1)

The character 羈 (jī) refers to a halter or a restraint used primarily for animals, symbolizing control or holding. It is commonly used in contexts that involve restriction or limitation, whether physical or metaphorical, such as controlling one's emotions or behavior.

Strokes24Radical罒
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese culture, the concept of restraint is significant in philosophies such as Confucianism, where self-control is valued. The use of halters is also common in rural areas, symbolizing the management of livestock.

Memory Tip

Imagine a horse wearing a halter (the shape of the character 羈 resembles a horse being held). The top part '羊' (yáng) means sheep, and the bottom part '基' (jī) can be thought of as a base or foundation - a foundation that holds the animal in place.

Meanings of 羈

jī(ji1)
1halter; to restrain, to hold, to control
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 羈

羈Simplified
24Strokes
罒Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 羈

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Podcast: 羈

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AI Study Notes for 羈

Quick Contrast

羁 (jī) refers to a restraint or tether, while 拘 (jū) implies confinement or detention; use 羈 for physical restraints on animals and 拘 for legal or social confinement.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 羈 with characters related to freedom or movement, as it denotes restriction. It is more formal than colloquial, and collocations often include terms relating to control over emotions or situations. Pay attention to the fourth tone, as mispronunciation can alter understanding.

HSK Study Tips

Although 羈 is not an HSK level word, it connects with HSK vocabulary about control and emotions, like '控制' (kòngzhì - to control) and '约束' (yuēshù - to restrain). Focus on the nuance of restraint versus freedom when learning.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 羈 in contexts where freedom is emphasized, such as saying '我想要羈我的时间' (I want to restrain my time), instead of '我想要自由地安排我的时间' (I want to freely arrange my time). Always consider the context of control versus freedom.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 羈

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Etymology of 羈

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A leather 革 halter used to control 罒a horse  馬

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 羈

  1. 1The giveawayA leather 革 halter used to control 罒a horse  馬
  2. 2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.

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

Want the full history of 羈? 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 羈?

Decomposition of 羈

IDS Structure⿱罒⿰革馬
羈Full Character
=
罒wang3
top
革ge2
left
馬ma3
right
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 羈?

How to say halter; to restrain, to hold, to control in Chinese

“halter; to restrain, to hold, to control” in Chinese is羈jī

The character 羈 (jī) refers to a halter or a restraint used primarily for animals, symbolizing control or holding. It is commonly used in contexts that involve restriction or limitation, whether physical or metaphorical, such as controlling one's emotions or behavior.

When to use 羈

Learners often confuse 羈 with characters related to freedom or movement, as it denotes restriction. It is more formal than colloquial, and collocations often include terms relating to control over emotions or situations. Pay attention to the fourth tone, as mispronunciation can alter understanding.

羈 or something close to it

羁 (jī) refers to a restraint or tether, while 拘 (jū) implies confinement or detention; use 羈 for physical restraints on animals and 拘 for legal or social confinement.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 羈 in contexts where freedom is emphasized, such as saying '我想要羈我的时间' (I want to restrain my time), instead of '我想要自由地安排我的时间' (I want to freely arrange my time). Always consider the context of control versus freedom.

Write 羈

羈

Practice writing 羈 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 羈

Words Containing This Character10
羁押to detain羈押
羁绊trammels羈絆
羁jībridle羈
不羁unruly不羈
放荡不羁wanton and unrestrained (idiom); dissolute放蕩不羈
羁留to stay羈留
羁旅to live abroad羈旅
放浪不羁wanton and unrestrained (idiom); dissolute放浪不羈
放诞不羁wanton and unrestrained (idiom); dissolute放誕不羈
非羁押性noncustodial (sentence)非羈押性
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 羁押 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 羈

Common phrases include '羈絆' (jībàn - to restrain or bind) and '羈留' (jīliú - to hold back).

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