phonetic character used in loanwords for the sound "jia", although 夹 is more common
unknown, 8 strokes, radical 艹, rank #15250, Very Hard
茄
qié
eggplant
n, 8 strokes, radical 艹, rank #15250, Very Hard
茄
qié
phonetic character used in loanwords for the sound "jia", although 夹 is more common
unknown, 8 strokes, radical 艹, rank #15250, Very Hard
jiā(jia1)jia
primary
T1
1eggplant
2phonetic character used in loanwords for the sound "jia", although 夹 is more common
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
茄jiā(jia1)
The character 茄 (jiā) primarily means 'eggplant,' a common vegetable in Chinese cuisine. It is often used in dishes such as stir-fries and braises. Additionally, it can serve as a phonetic character in loanwords, representing the sound 'jia,' although the character 夹 is more frequently used for this purpose.
Strokes8Radical艹Frequency#15250DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
Eggplant, or 茄子 (qiézi), is a popular ingredient in Chinese dishes, especially in regions like Sichuan where spicy eggplant dishes are favored. It's also featured in traditional Chinese medicine, believed to have cooling properties.
Memory Tip
Imagine an eggplant sitting on a 'jia' (家) - the home where it is often found in meals. The character 茄 has a radical for plants (艹) at the top, reminding you of its vegetable nature, while the rest of the character resembles a stylized 'J' for 'jiā'.
Meanings of 茄
jiā(jia1)
primary
1eggplant
2phonetic character used in loanwords for the sound "jia", although 夹 is more common
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 茄 means.
About 茄
茄Simplified
8Strokes
艹Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 茄
Podcast: 茄
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AI Study Notes for 茄
Quick Contrast
茄 (jiā) vs 蔬 (shū) — use 茄 specifically for 'eggplant,' while 蔬 refers to 'vegetables' in general.
Usage Notes
In culinary contexts, 茄 is commonly paired with words like '炒' (chǎo, to fry) or '汤' (tāng, soup). Be careful with pronunciation; the first tone (jiā) is crucial, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other terms. It is primarily informal and used in everyday conversation.
HSK Study Tips
茄 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it relates to other food-related characters, like 菜 (cài, vegetable) and 蔬 (shū, vegetable), which are essential for HSK 2 and 3. Focus on pronunciation and usage in dish names to enhance your vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 茄 (jiā) with similar-sounding characters like 夹 (jiā), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '夹子' (jiāzi, clip) instead of '茄子' (qiézi, eggplant) when referring to the vegetable is a common error.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 茄
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How Well Do You Know 茄?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 茄 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
茄 = 艹 + 加. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 茄
IDS Structure⿱艹加
茄Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
加Jia1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 茄?
How to say eggplant in Chinese
“eggplant” in Chinese is茄jiā
The character 茄 (jiā) primarily means 'eggplant,' a common vegetable in Chinese cuisine. It is often used in dishes such as stir-fries and braises. Additionally, it can serve as a phonetic character in loanwords, representing the sound 'jia,' although the character 夹 is more frequently used for this purpose.
When to use 茄
In culinary contexts, 茄 is commonly paired with words like '炒' (chǎo, to fry) or '汤' (tāng, soup). Be careful with pronunciation; the first tone (jiā) is crucial, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other terms. It is primarily informal and used in everyday conversation.
茄 or something close to it
茄 (jiā) vs 蔬 (shū) — use 茄 specifically for 'eggplant,' while 蔬 refers to 'vegetables' in general.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 茄 (jiā) with similar-sounding characters like 夹 (jiā), leading to incorrect meanings. For example, saying '夹子' (jiāzi, clip) instead of '茄子' (qiézi, eggplant) when referring to the vegetable is a common error.
Write 茄
茄
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Practice writing 茄 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 茄
茄 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 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.
你得把番____烤到皮变黑为止。
You need to grill the tomatoes until the skins blacken.
Example Sentences for 茄 (10)
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1
你得把番茄烤到皮变黑为止。
nǐ dé bǎ fān qié kǎo dào pí biàn hēi wéi zhǐ。
You need to grill the tomatoes until the skins blacken.
Serve a bowl of warm tomato sauce on the side for dipping, if desired.
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Word Family of 茄
Words Containing This Character11
番茄fānqiétomato
雪茄cigar (loanword)
茄子qiéziaubergine
茄jiāphonetic character used in loanwords for the sound "jia", although 夹 is more common
番茄酱ketchup番茄醬
蕃茄tomato
茄克jacket (loanword)
雪茄烟cigar雪茄煙
茄克衫jacket
颠茄deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna)顛茄
茄子河区Qiezihe district of Qitaihe city 七台河[Qītáihé], Heilongjiang茄子河區
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 茄
What does 番茄 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 茄
While both characters can represent the sound 'jia,' 茄 specifically means 'eggplant' and is used in culinary contexts, whereas 夹 means 'to pinch' or 'to clip'.
You can say '我喜欢吃茄子' (Wǒ xǐhuān chī qiézi), which means 'I like eating eggplant.'
The primary meaning is 'eggplant,' but it can also appear in compound words or as a phonetic loan character.
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