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March 24, 2026
颊(頰)jiá(jia2)
The character 颊 (jiá) refers to the cheeks or the jaw area of the face. It's commonly used in contexts related to facial features, anatomy, and expressions. The term can also appear in medical discussions or descriptions of emotions conveyed through facial expressions.
Strokes12Radical页Frequency#21360DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, facial features, including the cheeks, are often linked to health and well-being, where each part of the face can indicate different physical conditions or emotional states. This underscores the importance of facial expressions in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a smiling face where the cheeks (颊) are rounded and prominent, like a pair of joyful balloons. The character has a radical for 'mouth' (口) at the bottom, hinting at its connection to facial features, and the 'corner' component suggests the side of the face where the cheeks are located.
Meanings of 颊
jiá(jia2)
1cheeks, jaw
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About 颊
颊Simplified
頰Traditional
12Strokes
页Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 颊
Podcast: 颊
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AI Study Notes for 颊
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a smiling face where the cheeks (颊) are rounded and prominent, like a pair of joyful balloons. The character has a radical for 'mouth' (口) at the bottom, hinting at its connection to facial features, and the 'corner' component suggests the side of the face where the cheeks are located.
Usage Notes
While using 颊, it's important to distinguish it from other facial terms like '脸' (liǎn), which means 'face.' This character is more specific to the cheeks and may be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is less common in everyday conversation. Be careful with the tone; it is pronounced in the second tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.
HSK Study Tips
Although 颊 is not included in the official HSK levels, it connects well with other anatomical terms you might encounter, such as '眉' (méi, eyebrow) and '眼' (yǎn, eye) in discussions about the face. Focus on recognizing and using it in context with similar vocabulary.
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, facial features, including the cheeks, are often linked to health and well-being, where each part of the face can indicate different physical conditions or emotional states. This underscores the importance of facial expressions in Chinese culture.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 颊 with '脸' (liǎn) and use it incorrectly in broader contexts. For example, saying '我喜欢他的脸' (wǒ xǐhuān tā de liǎn) is correct, but using 颊 in the same way may sound awkward unless specifically discussing the cheeks.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 颊
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Grammar Patterns of 颊
颊 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). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
An older woman, pink-cheeked and tweedy, appeared in the doorway.
10
她回来时,两边面颊上涂有一点淡淡的胭脂.
tā huí lái shí, , liǎng biān miàn jiá shàng tú yǒu yī diǎn dàn dàn de yān.
She returned wearing a dab of rouge on each cheekbone.
Cultural Notes for 颊
🏮Cultural insight
In traditional Chinese medicine, facial features, including the cheeks, are often linked to health and well-being, where each part of the face can indicate different physical conditions or emotional states. This underscores the importance of facial expressions in Chinese culture.
Word Family of 颊
Words Containing This Character5
脸颊liǎnjiácheek臉頰
颊jiácheeks頰
面颊cheek面頰
腮颊cheek腮頰
齿颊生香fig. to water at the mouth齒頰生香
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 脸颊 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 颊
You can say '他的颊部很丰满' (tā de jiá bù hěn fēngmǎn) meaning 'His cheeks are very full.'
Yes, you can also use '脸颊' (liǎn jiá) which combines 'face' and 'cheek' for clarity, especially in conversation.
面颊 (miàn jiá) is a more common term that specifically refers to the cheek area of the face, while 颊 is a more formal or literary usage.
