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觊 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
觊jìto covet, to desire, to long forv, 10 strokes, radical 见, rank #79340, Very Hard
jì(ji4) T4
  1. 1to covet, to desire, to long for
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

觊(覬)jì(ji4)

The character 觊 (jì) means to covet or to strongly desire something, often with a sense of longing or ambition. It is commonly used to express a yearning for something that one does not possess, which can include material items, status, or relationships. This word is often found in literary contexts, giving it a somewhat formal tone.

Strokes10Radical见Frequency#79340DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of coveting or desiring something can be tied to Confucian values, where ambition is often viewed positively, but excessive desire can lead to social discord. This reflects the delicate balance between aspiration and greed.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person gazing longingly at a beautiful treasure (the radical 角 suggests wealth) while their heart (心) beats faster. The shape of the character combines elements that evoke the feeling of desire, making it easier to remember that 觊 (jì) is all about longing for something precious.

Meanings of 觊

jì(ji4)
1to covet, to desire, to long for
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 觊

觊Simplified
覬Traditional
10Strokes
见Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 觊

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Podcast: 觊

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AI Study Notes for 觊

Quick Contrast

渴望 (kěwàng, to desire) vs 欲望 (yùwàng, desire) — use 觊 when emphasizing a strong, often ambitious longing rather than a general desire.

Usage Notes

When using 觊, it's important to note that it carries a somewhat negative connotation, implying an inappropriate or excessive desire. It is more formal than similar words like 想 (xiǎng), which simply means 'to think' or 'to want.' Be careful with the tone; the fourth tone is crucial for clarity in pronunciation.

HSK Study Tips

Although 觊 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, students at this level should focus on character recognition and the ability to form sentences expressing desire. This word can serve as a contrast to more basic terms for wanting, enhancing vocabulary depth.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 觊 (jì) with similar-sounding words like 记 (jì), which means 'to remember.' For example, saying '我很记这个包' instead of '我很觊这个包' changes the meaning entirely from 'I remember this bag' to 'I covet this bag.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 觊

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Etymology of 觊

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

Phonosemantic compound. 见 represents the meaning and 岂 represents the sound. Simplified form of 覬.

Memory Hint

eye

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 觊

Phonosemantic compound. 见 represents the meaning and 岂 represents the sound. Simplified form of 覬.

  1. 1The meaning half见 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half岂 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayeye
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 觊? 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 觊?

Decomposition of 觊

IDS Structure⿰岂见
觊Full Character
=
岂kai3
left
见jian4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 觊?

How to say to covet, to desire, to long for in Chinese

“to covet, to desire, to long for” in Chinese is觊jì

The character 觊 (jì) means to covet or to strongly desire something, often with a sense of longing or ambition. It is commonly used to express a yearning for something that one does not possess, which can include material items, status, or relationships. This word is often found in literary contexts, giving it a somewhat formal tone.

When to use 觊

When using 觊, it's important to note that it carries a somewhat negative connotation, implying an inappropriate or excessive desire. It is more formal than similar words like 想 (xiǎng), which simply means 'to think' or 'to want.' Be careful with the tone; the fourth tone is crucial for clarity in pronunciation.

觊 or something close to it

渴望 (kěwàng, to desire) vs 欲望 (yùwàng, desire) — use 觊 when emphasizing a strong, often ambitious longing rather than a general desire.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 觊 (jì) with similar-sounding words like 记 (jì), which means 'to remember.' For example, saying '我很记这个包' instead of '我很觊这个包' changes the meaning entirely from 'I remember this bag' to 'I covet this bag.'

Write 觊

觊

Practice writing 觊 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 觊

Words Containing This Character2
觊觎to covet覬覦
觊jìto covet覬
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 觊觎 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 觊

No, 觊 is more commonly found in literary or formal contexts rather than in casual conversation.

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