Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
义(義)yì(Yi4)
The character 义 (yì) primarily conveys the notion of justice and righteousness, often associated with moral conduct and propriety. It is used in various contexts, including discussions of ethics, philosophy, and social justice, as well as in legal terminology. Additionally, it can denote meaning or significance, making it versatile in both spoken and written Chinese.
Strokes3Radical丿Frequency#6394DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 义 is deeply rooted in Confucian philosophy, which emphasizes moral integrity and the importance of righteousness in social relationships. The idea of义气 (yìqì), or loyalty to friends, is particularly valued and reflects a communal sense of duty.
Memory tip
Picture a scale balancing a heart and a book; the heart symbolizes justice and righteousness, while the book represents knowledge and meaning. The character 义 resembles a person standing upright, reflecting moral integrity, while the 'Y' sound in 'yì' can remind you of 'yes'—a positive affirmation of right conduct.
Meanings of 义
yì(Yi4)
1justice
2righteousness
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 义 means.
About 义
义Simplified
義Traditional
3Strokes
丿Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#6394Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L5
Podcast: 义
Podcast: 义
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 义
Quick Contrast
义 (yì) vs 正义 (zhèngyì) — use 义 for general concepts of righteousness, while 正义 specifically refers to justice in a legal or moral sense.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 义 (yì); a common mistake is confusing it with 以 (yǐ), which means 'to use.' This character is often used in formal contexts, such as legal discussions, but can appear informally in everyday conversations about ethics. Common collocations include 义务 (yìwù, duty) and 义气 (yìqì, loyalty).
HSK Study Tips
义 (yì) is not present in the HSK vocabulary lists, but it relates closely to other HSK words like 正义 (zhèngyì, justice) and 理义 (lǐyì, reason and justice). Focus on understanding its multiple meanings and how it interacts with other characters to express moral concepts.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 义 (yì) with 意 (yì), which means 'meaning' or 'intention.' For instance, saying 义的意思 (yì de yìsi) instead of 意义 (yìyì) to express 'the meaning of justice' is incorrect; the correct term is 意义.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 义
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 义, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 义 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 义?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 义 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声å—)~80-90% of characters
Explanation
Phonosemantic compound. 羊 represents the meaning and 我 represents the sound. In ancient China sheep (羊) were associated with goodness and fortune, which is why 羊 is a component in characters like 美 (beautiful), 祥 (auspicious), 善 (benevolent)
义 = ⺷ + 乂. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 义
IDS Structure⿻丶乂
义Full character
=
丶—
outer
乂yi4
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 义?
How to say justice in Chinese
“justice” in Chinese is义yì
The character 义 (yì) primarily conveys the notion of justice and righteousness, often associated with moral conduct and propriety. It is used in various contexts, including discussions of ethics, philosophy, and social justice, as well as in legal terminology. Additionally, it can denote meaning or significance, making it versatile in both spoken and written Chinese.
When to use 义
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 义 (yì); a common mistake is confusing it with 以 (yǐ), which means 'to use.' This character is often used in formal contexts, such as legal discussions, but can appear informally in everyday conversations about ethics. Common collocations include 义务 (yìwù, duty) and 义气 (yìqì, loyalty).
义 or something close to it
义 (yì) vs 正义 (zhèngyì) — use 义 for general concepts of righteousness, while 正义 specifically refers to justice in a legal or moral sense.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 义 (yì) with 意 (yì), which means 'meaning' or 'intention.' For instance, saying 义的意思 (yì de yìsi) instead of 意义 (yìyì) to express 'the meaning of justice' is incorrect; the correct term is 意义.
Write 义
义
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 义 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar patterns of 义
义 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). It carries 11 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
I don't see the point in it really. It's just stupid.
7
他们关注的是公开的歧视，而不是种族主义的一些潜在问题。
tāmen guānzhù de shì gōngkāi de qíshì， ér bùshì zhǒngzú zhǔyì de yìxiē qiánzài wèntí。
They focus on overt discrimination rather than insidious aspects of racism.
8
戈德温变成政治激进主义者主要是受他的影响。
gē dé Wēn biànchéng zhèngzhì jī jìn zhǔyì zhě zhǔyào shì shòu tā de yǐngxiǎng。
He was a major influence in converting Godwin to political radicalism.
9
这篇修正主义的论文更加偏离了马克思主义的主张。
zhè piān xiūzhèng zhǔyì de lùnwén gèngjiā piānlí le mǎ kè sī zhǔyì de zhǔzhāng。
This revisionist thesis departs even further from Marxist assertions.
10
这位航海家的名誉受到了历史修正主义者的攻击。
zhè wèi hánghǎi jiā de míngyù shòudào le lìshǐ xiūzhèng zhǔyì zhě de gōngjī。
The reputation of the navigator is under assault from historical revisionists.
Ask Jason
Have a question about 义?
Jason answers about this word at your level: example sentences, how it differs from similar words, and a way to remember it.
Sign in free to ask. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
Word Family of 义
Compounds7
议yìto comment on
仪yíapparatus
蚁yǐant
図tú
舣yǐto moor a boat
紁chà
肞chā
Words containing this character20
意义yìyìsense意義
社会主义shèhuìzhǔyìsocialism社會主義
主义zhǔyì-ism主義
义务yìwùduty義務
正义zhèngyìjustice正義
名义míngyìname名義
义yìjustice義
定义dìngyìdefinition定義
含义hányìhint含義
资本主义zīběnzhǔyìcapitalism資本主義
共产主义gòngchǎnzhǔyìcommunism共產主義
帝国主义dìguózhǔyìimperialism帝國主義
马克思主义mǎkèsīzhǔyìMarxism馬克思主義
种族主义zhǒngzúzhǔyìracism種族主義
恐怖主义kǒngbùzhǔyìterrorism恐怖主義
起义qǐyìuprising起義
义务教育yìwùjiàoyùcompulsory education義務教育
修正主义xiūzhèngzhǔyìrevisionism修正主義
人道主义réndàozhǔyìhumanism人道主義
爱国主义àiguózhǔyìpatriotism愛國主義
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 义
What does 议 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 义
义 (yì) primarily relates to concepts of righteousness and meaning, while 意 (yì) usually refers to intention or meaning in a more abstract sense. For example, 义 can be associated with moral values, whereas 意 focuses on the idea or thought behind something.
义 (yì) is a character that can mean 'meaning' or 'righteousness.' It is also used in contexts such as 'foster' or 'adopted,' and can refer to artificial objects like limbs or teeth. Additionally, it is a surname and an abbreviation for Italy in Taiwanese Mandarin.
You can use 义 (yì) in sentences to express concepts of righteousness or meaning. For example, '他做的事情是义的' (Tā zuò de shìqíng shì yì de) means 'What he did is righteous.' In a different context, you might say '我有一个义父' (Wǒ yǒu yīgè yì fù), meaning 'I have a foster father.'
In legal contexts, 义 refers to justice and righteousness, emphasizing the moral aspect of laws and their enforcement.
Yes, while it has formal connotations, 义 can also be used informally when discussing concepts of right and wrong or moral integrity.
义气 (yìqì) expresses a strong bond of loyalty and righteousness between friends, highlighting the importance of moral support in relationships.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 义?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
