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體 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
體tǐbody; group, class; form, style, systemzg, 23 strokes, radical 骨, rank #85159, Very Hard
tǐ(ti3)ti T3
  1. 1body; group, class; form, style, system
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March 24, 2026

體tǐ(ti3)

The character 體 (tǐ) primarily refers to the physical body or the human form. It can also denote a group, class, or system, especially in a more abstract or organizational context. In various expressions, it signifies the structure or framework of something, such as a system or style.

Strokes23Radical骨Frequency#85159DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of the body (體) is often associated with traditional medicine, which emphasizes the balance of body and mind. This connection is vital in practices like Tai Chi, which integrates physical health with philosophical principles.

Memory Tip

Imagine the character 體 as a 'body' with a detailed 'system' inside. The radical for hair (髟) represents the head, while the bottom part (本) suggests a base or foundation. Picture a person’s head resting on a solid foundation of knowledge, linking the body to systems.

Meanings of 體

tǐ(ti3)
1body; group, class; form, style, system
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 體

體Simplified
23Strokes
骨Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 體

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Podcast: 體

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AI Study Notes for 體

Quick Contrast

身体 (shēntǐ) refers specifically to the human body, while 體 (tǐ) can denote a broader range of bodies or systems, including abstract concepts.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 體 with similar-sounding words like 提 (tí), which means to lift. It's often used in formal contexts, such as scientific discussions or literature about social systems. Be careful with the third tone in pronunciation, as mispronouncing it may lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 體 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it is useful for HSK 4 and above given its applications in discussing complex ideas. Focus on its usage in phrases like 體育 (tǐyù, sports) or 體系 (tǐxì, system) to enhance vocabulary related to physical education and organizational structures.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 體 with 体 (tǐ), the simplified version, leading to errors in writing. Additionally, some may use it incorrectly in phrases, such as saying '我的體是好' (wǒ de tǐ shì hǎo) when they should say '我身体很好' (wǒ shēntǐ hěn hǎo) to mean 'I am in good health'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 體

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Etymology of 體

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

Simplified form of 體. The foundation (本) of a person (亻) is their body (体).

Memory Hint

bone

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

Origin

體 = 骨 + 豊. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 體

IDS Structure⿰骨豊
體Full Character
=
骨gu3
left
豊feng1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 體?

How to say body; group, class; form, style, system in Chinese

“body; group, class; form, style, system” in Chinese is體tǐ

The character 體 (tǐ) primarily refers to the physical body or the human form. It can also denote a group, class, or system, especially in a more abstract or organizational context. In various expressions, it signifies the structure or framework of something, such as a system or style.

When to use 體

Common mistakes include confusing 體 with similar-sounding words like 提 (tí), which means to lift. It's often used in formal contexts, such as scientific discussions or literature about social systems. Be careful with the third tone in pronunciation, as mispronouncing it may lead to misunderstandings.

體 or something close to it

身体 (shēntǐ) refers specifically to the human body, while 體 (tǐ) can denote a broader range of bodies or systems, including abstract concepts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 體 with 体 (tǐ), the simplified version, leading to errors in writing. Additionally, some may use it incorrectly in phrases, such as saying '我的體是好' (wǒ de tǐ shì hǎo) when they should say '我身体很好' (wǒ shēntǐ hěn hǎo) to mean 'I am in good health'.

Write 體

體

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

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Word Family of 體

Words Containing This Character20
身体shēntǐthe body身體
尸体shītǐdead body屍體
媒体méitǐmedia, esp. news media媒體
具体jùtǐconcrete具體
体tǐbody體
体育tǐyùsports體育
体系tǐxìsystem體系
体验tǐyànto experience for oneself體驗
整体zhěngtǐwhole entity整體
体现tǐxiànto embody體現
全体quántǐall全體
集体jítǐa group集體
体内within the body體內
体制tǐzhìsystem體制
人体réntǐhuman body人體
体会tǐhuìto realize體會
团体tuántǐgroup團體
体重tǐzhòngbody weight體重
总体zǒngtǐcompletely總體
主体zhǔtǐbulk主體
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 體

What does 身体 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 體

Common phrases include 體育 (tǐyù, sports) and 體系 (tǐxì, system). These phrases illustrate the word's versatility in both physical and organizational contexts.

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