Meanings of 雞
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About 雞
Podcast: 雞
Podcast: 雞
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AI Study Notes for 雞
鸡 (jī) vs 鸭 (yā) — choose 鸡 when referring specifically to chicken, not duck.
Be cautious not to confuse 雞 (jī) with 机 (jī), which means 'machine.' In informal contexts, you might hear 雞 used in phrases referring to someone being silly or foolish. Also, remember that in formal settings, it’s better to use the full term for 'chicken' rather than slang.
Although 雞 is not included in the HSK levels, it is a useful vocabulary word for beginners. Students should practice its use in sentences related to food and dining, as well as familiarize themselves with related food terms like 魚 (yú, fish) and 肉 (ròu, meat).
Learners often confuse 雞 (jī) with other similar-sounding words like 机 (jī), which means 'machine.' A common mistake is using 雞 in formal contexts when referring to poultry; it's better to use the term in a culinary discussion.
Pronunciation of 雞
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Etymology of 雞
Simplified form of 雞. Originally was a pictograph of a chicken. Later changed to a phonosemantic compound of 奚 and 隹 (bird). The traditional 隹 (bird) component was replaced with 鸟, a different character for "bird".
Another 奚 kind of bird 隹
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 雞
Simplified form of 雞. Originally was a pictograph of a chicken. Later changed to a phonosemantic compound of 奚 and 隹 (bird). The traditional 隹 (bird) component was replaced with 鸟, a different character for "bird".
- 1The giveawayAnother 奚 kind of bird 隹
- 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 雞? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 雞
Identify the Components
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How to say chicken in Chinese
“chicken” in Chinese is雞
The character 雞 (jī) means 'chicken' and is commonly used to refer to the bird itself, as well as to chicken meat in culinary contexts. It can also denote a sense of liveliness or playfulness in certain idiomatic expressions.
When to use 雞
Be cautious not to confuse 雞 (jī) with 机 (jī), which means 'machine.' In informal contexts, you might hear 雞 used in phrases referring to someone being silly or foolish. Also, remember that in formal settings, it’s better to use the full term for 'chicken' rather than slang.
雞 or something close to it
鸡 (jī) vs 鸭 (yā) — choose 鸡 when referring specifically to chicken, not duck.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 雞 (jī) with other similar-sounding words like 机 (jī), which means 'machine.' A common mistake is using 雞 in formal contexts when referring to poultry; it's better to use the term in a culinary discussion.
Write 雞
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Practice writing 雞 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 雞
Compound Meaning
What does 鸡 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 雞
You would say 烤雞 (kǎo jī).
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