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觜 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
觜zībeakzg, 13 strokes, radical 角
觜zīnumber 21 of the 28 constellations 二十八宿, approx. Orion 猎户座unknown, 13 strokes, radical 角
觜zīspout (of teapot etc)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 角
觜zuǐbeakzg, 13 strokes, radical 角
觜zuǐnumber 21 of the 28 constellations 二十八宿, approx. Orion 猎户座unknown, 13 strokes, radical 角
觜zuǐspout (of teapot etc)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 角
zī(zi1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1beak
  2. 2number 21 of the 28 constellations 二十八宿, approx. Orion 猎户座
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March 24, 2026

觜zī(zi1)

The character 觜 (zī) primarily means 'beak,' referring to the mouthparts of birds and certain animals. It can also denote a spout, such as that found on a teapot, and serves as a variant of the character 嘴, which means 'mouth.' In astrology, it represents the 21st constellation in the 28 lunar mansions in Chinese astronomy.

Strokes13Radical角
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the beak of a bird is often associated with symbols of freedom and agility, reflecting the importance of nature and animals in traditional Chinese art and literature. The character's connection to constellations also highlights the significance of astronomy in ancient Chinese society.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bird with a sharp, pointed beak (觜) that helps it catch food. The shape of the character resembles a beak, with the top part curving like a bird's head and the bottom part extending like its pointed mouth. To remember the pronunciation 'zī,' think of a bird zipping through the air with its beak wide open.

Meanings of 觜

zī(zi1)
primary
1beak
2number 21 of the 28 constellations 二十八宿, approx. Orion 猎户座
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

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About 觜

觜Simplified
13Strokes
角Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 觜

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Podcast: 觜

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AI Study Notes for 觜

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 觜 with 嘴, as both relate to the mouth but have different specific meanings. It's more formal and specific than 嘴, so use it in contexts related to birds or cooking tools. Pay attention to the fourth tone when pronouncing it, as mispronouncing can change its meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Although 觜 is not part of the HSK curriculum, it connects with other characters related to animals and tools. Focus on understanding its use in specific contexts, such as discussing birds or cooking, which can help expand vocabulary in those areas.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 觜 with 嘴 when discussing animals or feeding. For example, saying '我有一个嘴的鸟' (I have a bird with a mouth) is incorrect; it should be '我有一只觜的鸟' to specify the beak.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 觜

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Etymology of 觜

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

Phonosemantic compound. 角 represents the meaning and 此 represents the sound. Original form of 嘴.

Memory Hint

horn

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 觜

Phonosemantic compound. 角 represents the meaning and 此 represents the sound. Original form of 嘴.

  1. 1The meaning half角 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half此 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhorn
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 觜? 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 觜?

Decomposition of 觜

IDS Structure⿱此角
觜Full Character
=
此ci3
top
角jiao3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 觜?

How to say beak in Chinese

“beak” in Chinese is觜zī

The character 觜 (zī) primarily means 'beak,' referring to the mouthparts of birds and certain animals. It can also denote a spout, such as that found on a teapot, and serves as a variant of the character 嘴, which means 'mouth.' In astrology, it represents the 21st constellation in the 28 lunar mansions in Chinese astronomy.

When to use 觜

Common mistakes include confusing 觜 with 嘴, as both relate to the mouth but have different specific meanings. It's more formal and specific than 嘴, so use it in contexts related to birds or cooking tools. Pay attention to the fourth tone when pronouncing it, as mispronouncing can change its meaning.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 觜 with 嘴 when discussing animals or feeding. For example, saying '我有一个嘴的鸟' (I have a bird with a mouth) is incorrect; it should be '我有一只觜的鸟' to specify the beak.

Write 觜

觜

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

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Word Family of 觜

Words Containing This Character1
觜zībeak
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 觜 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 觜

觜 is more specific, referring to a beak or spout, while 嘴 is a general term for 'mouth'.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 觜?

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.