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March 24, 2026
诫(誡)jiè(jie4)
The character 诫 (jiè) primarily means to warn or admonish someone, often in the context of giving a commandment or prohibition. It is commonly used in formal contexts, such as in religious or moral teachings, where it conveys the importance of heeding warnings and following guidelines.
Strokes9Radical讠Frequency#14865DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 诫 is often found in classical texts, including Confucian teachings, where it emphasizes the importance of moral integrity and the consequences of ignoring wise counsel.
Memory Tip
Think of 诫 (jiè) as a 'jet' flying high in the sky, carrying a message of caution. The left component 讠 (yán) relates to speech, suggesting that this is a verbal warning, while the right component 戒 (jiè) visually resembles a person standing firm, indicating a strong command to adhere to advice or rules.
Meanings of 诫
jiè(jie4)
1commandment
2to prohibit
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 诫
诫Simplified
誡Traditional
9Strokes
讠Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#14865Frequency Rank
Podcast: 诫
Podcast: 诫
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AI Study Notes for 诫
Quick Contrast
警告 (jǐnggào) vs 诫 (jiè): Use 诫 when emphasizing moral or formal admonition, while 警告 is more about general warnings.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 诫 with other similar-sounding characters like 介 (jiè) meaning 'to introduce.' Remember that 诫 is used in more serious contexts involving warnings. It is typically used in formal writing or speech rather than casual conversation.
HSK Study Tips
While 诫 is not included in the HSK levels, it connects well with other characters that relate to speech or warnings, such as 告 (gào) meaning 'to tell.' Focus on understanding its use in context when reading texts that discuss moral teachings or prohibitions.
Common Mistakes
Learners may confuse 诫 with 介 (jiè), leading to incorrect meanings in sentences like '他给我一个介诫' (He gave me an introduction warning), which should be '他给我一个诫诫' (He gave me a warning). Pay attention to the context in which you use these characters.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 诫
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1The giveawayWords 讠 of warning 戒; 戒 also provides the pronunciation
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 诫? 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 诫?
Decomposition of 诫
IDS Structure⿰讠戒
诫Full Character
=
讠yan2
left
戒jie4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 诫?
How to say commandment in Chinese
“commandment” in Chinese is诫jiè
The character 诫 (jiè) primarily means to warn or admonish someone, often in the context of giving a commandment or prohibition. It is commonly used in formal contexts, such as in religious or moral teachings, where it conveys the importance of heeding warnings and following guidelines.
When to use 诫
Learners often confuse 诫 with other similar-sounding characters like 介 (jiè) meaning 'to introduce.' Remember that 诫 is used in more serious contexts involving warnings. It is typically used in formal writing or speech rather than casual conversation.
诫 or something close to it
警告 (jǐnggào) vs 诫 (jiè): Use 诫 when emphasizing moral or formal admonition, while 警告 is more about general warnings.
What learners get wrong
Learners may confuse 诫 with 介 (jiè), leading to incorrect meanings in sentences like '他给我一个介诫' (He gave me an introduction warning), which should be '他给我一个诫诫' (He gave me a warning). Pay attention to the context in which you use these characters.
Write 诫
诫
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Practice writing 诫 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 诫
诫 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 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
Complete the Sentence
他们反复告____她，让她不要告诉任何人。
They drummed it into her that she was not to tell anyone.
Example Sentences for 诫 (9)
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1
他们反复告诫她，让她不要告诉任何人。
tā mén fǎn fù gào jiè tā， ， ràng tā bù yào gào sù rèn hé。
They drummed it into her that she was not to tell anyone.
