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頤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
頤yícheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourishzg, 16 strokes, radical 頁
yí(yi2)yi T2
  1. 1cheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourish
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March 24, 2026

頤yí(yi2)

The character 頤 (yí) primarily refers to the cheeks or jaw, often associated with the lower part of the face. It can also imply the act of nourishing or taking care of something, often used in contexts related to health or sustenance.

Strokes16Radical頁
Cultural note

In traditional Chinese medicine, facial features like the cheeks are believed to reflect one's health and vitality, linking the character 頤 to concepts of nourishment and well-being.

Memory tip

Imagine a face with prominent cheeks (the meaning of 頤) that is being nourished. The top radical 頁 (yè) looks like a head, while the bottom part resembles a nurturing hand cradling the face, reminding you of the sound 'yí'.

Meanings of 頤

yí(yi2)
1cheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourish
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 頤

頤Simplified
16Strokes
頁Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 頤

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Podcast: 頤

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AI Study Notes for 頤

Quick Contrast

颊 (jiá) refers specifically to the cheeks, whereas 頤 (yí) encompasses a broader sense including the jaw and the idea of nourishment.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 頤 with similar-sounding words that refer to other parts of the body. This character is more formal and may not be used in casual conversation. Common collocations include 頤養 (to nourish) and 頤面 (jawline).

HSK Study Tips

Though 頤 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with words like 養 (yǎng, to raise or nourish) and 面 (miàn, face). Students should focus on the character's components and their meanings to better understand its usage.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 頤 with 齒 (chǐ, teeth) due to similar themes of the face. Remember, 頤 specifically refers to the cheeks or jaw, while 齒 refers to the teeth.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 頤

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Etymology of 頤

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

Phonosemantic compound. 页 represents the meaning and 臣 represents the sound. Simplified form of 頤.

Memory hint

head

Semantic (meaning)頁
+
Phonetic (sound)臣
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

頤 = 頁 + 臣. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 頤

IDS Structure⿰臣頁
頤Full character
=
臣Chen2
left
頁ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 頤?

How to say cheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourish in Chinese

“cheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourish” in Chinese is頤yí

The character 頤 (yí) primarily refers to the cheeks or jaw, often associated with the lower part of the face. It can also imply the act of nourishing or taking care of something, often used in contexts related to health or sustenance.

When to use 頤

Be careful not to confuse 頤 with similar-sounding words that refer to other parts of the body. This character is more formal and may not be used in casual conversation. Common collocations include 頤養 (to nourish) and 頤面 (jawline).

頤 or something close to it

颊 (jiá) refers specifically to the cheeks, whereas 頤 (yí) encompasses a broader sense including the jaw and the idea of nourishment.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 頤 with 齒 (chǐ, teeth) due to similar themes of the face. Remember, 頤 specifically refers to the cheeks or jaw, while 齒 refers to the teeth.

Write 頤

頤

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

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Word Family of 頤

Words containing this character11
颐yícheek頤
颐指气使arrogant and bossy頤指氣使
颐和园Summer Palace in Beijing頤和園
颐养to nourish頤養
大快朵颐to gorge oneself大快朵頤
颐养天年lit. to nurture one's years (idiom)頤養天年
程颐Cheng Yi (1033-1107), Song neo-Confucian scholar程頤
周敦颐Zhou Dunyi (1017-1073), Song dynasty neo-Confucian scholar周敦頤
朵颐to munch朵頤
解颐to smile解頤
颐指to order with the chin頤指
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 頤

What does 颐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 頤

Common phrases include 頤養 (to nourish) and 頤面 (jawline), which relate directly to facial features and health.

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