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郗 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
郗chīan ancient city; surnamex, 9 strokes, radical 阝
郗chīname of an ancient cityunknown, 9 strokes, radical 阝
郗chīsurname Chiunknown, 9 strokes, radical 阝
郗xīan ancient city; surnamex, 9 strokes, radical 阝
郗xīname of an ancient cityunknown, 9 strokes, radical 阝
郗xīsurname Chiunknown, 9 strokes, radical 阝
xī(xi1)
primary
 T1
  1. 1an ancient city; surname
  2. 2name of an ancient city
Also a Chinese surname, Chi — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

郗xī(xi1)

The character 郗 (xī) primarily refers to an ancient city, as well as serving as a surname in Chinese. It is not commonly used in contemporary language, but it may appear in historical texts or discussions about genealogy. Understanding this character can provide insights into historical contexts or family lineage.

Strokes9Radical阝
Cultural Note

The character 郗 relates to historical Chinese geography, as it represents a city that may have played a role in ancient Chinese civilization. Understanding such characters can deepen your appreciation of China's vast history.

Memory Tip

Imagine the character 郗 as a 'city gate' (the radical 邑 signifies a place) with an ancient vibe. Picture a wise elder named 'Xi' who guards the gate of a forgotten city, helping you remember both the pronunciation and its meaning.

Meanings of 郗

xī(xi1)
primary
1an ancient city; surname
2name of an ancient city
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 郗

郗Simplified
9Strokes
阝Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 郗

JasonAmy

Podcast: 郗

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 郗

Usage Notes

Due to its rarity, 郗 is mostly found in formal or historical contexts. Learners might confuse it with more common surnames or characters with similar pronunciations. Pay attention to the tone; 'xī' has a flat high tone, differing from other tones.

HSK Study Tips

While 郗 is not included in the HSK, it can be helpful for students interested in historical or literary texts. Focus on recognizing the character's components and its connection to place names, which can enhance your understanding of Chinese geography.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 郗 with similar-sounding surnames like '希' (xī) or '习' (xí). Remember that 郗 specifically relates to historical contexts and is not used in everyday conversation.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 郗

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Etymology of 郗

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

city

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 郗

  1. 1The meaning half阝 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half希 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaycity
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 郗? 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 郗?

Decomposition of 郗

IDS Structure⿰希阝
郗Full Character
=
希xi1
left
阝yi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 郗?

How to say an ancient city; surname in Chinese

“an ancient city; surname” in Chinese is郗chī

The character 郗 (xī) primarily refers to an ancient city, as well as serving as a surname in Chinese. It is not commonly used in contemporary language, but it may appear in historical texts or discussions about genealogy. Understanding this character can provide insights into historical contexts or family lineage.

When to use 郗

Due to its rarity, 郗 is mostly found in formal or historical contexts. Learners might confuse it with more common surnames or characters with similar pronunciations. Pay attention to the tone; 'xī' has a flat high tone, differing from other tones.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 郗 with similar-sounding surnames like '希' (xī) or '习' (xí). Remember that 郗 specifically relates to historical contexts and is not used in everyday conversation.

Write 郗

郗

Practice writing 郗 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 郗

Words Containing This Character1
郗xīsurname Chi
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 郗 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 郗

No, 郗 is not a common surname in modern China and is mostly found in historical records.

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Not sure what to learn after 郗?

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