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March 24, 2026
警jǐng(jing3)
The character '警' (jǐng) primarily means to alert or warn, often in contexts related to safety or vigilance. It also refers to the police or law enforcement, highlighting its association with protection and security. This word can be used in phrases like '警报' (jǐngbào) meaning 'alarm' or '警察' (jǐngchá) meaning 'police'.
Strokes19Radical言Frequency#738DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
'警' is central to the concept of public safety in China, where the police play a significant role in maintaining order. The phrase '警民合作' (jǐngmín hézuò) emphasizes the collaboration between police and citizens in ensuring safety.
Memory Tip
Imagine a '警' (jǐng) officer standing guard, alerting you to potential danger. The left side of the character, '言' (yán), represents 'speech', suggesting communication or warning, while the right side '警' evokes the sound of a siren. Picture the siren loudly alerting everyone to pay attention!
Meanings of 警
jǐng(jing3)
1to alert
2to warn
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 警
警Simplified
19Strokes
言Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#738Frequency Rank
Podcast: 警
Podcast: 警
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AI Study Notes for 警
Quick Contrast
警惕 (jǐngtì) vs 警告 (jǐnggào): Use 警 (jǐng) when referring to general alerts or police, while 警惕 emphasizes vigilance or being on guard, and 警告 specifically refers to giving a warning.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse '警' with similar-sounding characters like '景' (jǐng), which means 'scenery'. '警' is mostly used in formal contexts, especially when discussing law enforcement. Common collocations include '警报' (alarm) and '警察' (police).
HSK Study Tips
While '警' may not appear in the HSK levels, it connects with vocabulary related to safety and authority, which are useful for HSK 4 and above learners. Focus on understanding its use in context and recognizing its components.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse '警' with '景' (jǐng) due to their similar pronunciation. For example, saying '景察' instead of '警察' would be incorrect; the correct term for police is '警察' (jǐngchá).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 警
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How Well Do You Know 警?
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Learning Lab
Knowing 警 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.
警 = 言 + 敬. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 警
IDS Structure⿱敬言
警Full Character
=
敬jing4
top
言yan2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 警?
How to say to alert in Chinese
“to alert” in Chinese is警jǐng
The character '警' (jǐng) primarily means to alert or warn, often in contexts related to safety or vigilance. It also refers to the police or law enforcement, highlighting its association with protection and security. This word can be used in phrases like '警报' (jǐngbào) meaning 'alarm' or '警察' (jǐngchá) meaning 'police'.
When to use 警
Be careful not to confuse '警' with similar-sounding characters like '景' (jǐng), which means 'scenery'. '警' is mostly used in formal contexts, especially when discussing law enforcement. Common collocations include '警报' (alarm) and '警察' (police).
警 or something close to it
警惕 (jǐngtì) vs 警告 (jǐnggào): Use 警 (jǐng) when referring to general alerts or police, while 警惕 emphasizes vigilance or being on guard, and 警告 specifically refers to giving a warning.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse '警' with '景' (jǐng) due to their similar pronunciation. For example, saying '景察' instead of '警察' would be incorrect; the correct term for police is '警察' (jǐngchá).
Write 警
警
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Grammar Patterns of 警
警 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 4 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.
Ann's eyes followed a police car as it drove slowly past.
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Cultural Notes for 警
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the concept of alertness is deeply rooted in the idea of safety and vigilance. The character 警 is often used in the context of police and security, emphasizing the importance of community safety.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
In Western cultures, the concept of police can often imply a more adversarial relationship with the public, whereas in China, there is typically an emphasis on community cooperation for safety.
Word Family of 警
Words Containing This Character20
警察jǐngchápolice
警方police
警jǐngto alert
民警mínjǐngcivil police
警告jǐnggàoto warn
警官jǐngguānconstable
报警bàojǐngto sound an alarm報警
交警jiāojǐngtraffic police
警惕jǐngtìvigilant
警报(fire) alarm警報
警察局police station
警卫to stand guard over警衛
预警warning預警
警车jǐngchēpolice car警車
武警armed police
警示to warn
警戒to warn
刑警criminal police
巡警police officer
警力police force
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 警
What does 警察 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 警
警 (jǐng) refers to the concept of alerting or warning, while 警察 (jǐngchá) specifically means 'police.' Understanding this distinction can help in recognizing how the character is used in different contexts related to law enforcement.
警 is pronounced as jǐng, with the third tone in Mandarin Chinese. The tone is important for meaning, as it distinguishes it from other similar-sounding words.
警 (jǐng) means to alert or to warn. It is also commonly used to refer to the police. This character appears in various contexts, including phrases related to safety and law enforcement.
You can use 警 in sentences such as '警告你不要靠近' (jǐnggào nǐ bùyào kàojìn), which means 'I warn you not to approach.' It’s often used in contexts that involve caution or warnings.
'警' (jǐng) refers to the concept of alerting or warning, while '警察' (jǐngchá) specifically means 'police'. The latter is a more specific application of the former.
'警' is more commonly used in formal contexts or when discussing topics related to safety and law enforcement, rather than casual conversation.
The correct pronunciation is 'jǐng' with a third tone, which means it starts mid, dips down, and then rises.
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