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March 24, 2026
吱zhī(zhi1)
The character 吱 (zhī) represents the sounds made by small animals, particularly the chirping of birds or the squeaking of mice. It is often used in onomatopoeic contexts to convey these specific sounds, and you might encounter it in stories or descriptions that involve animals or nature.
Strokes7Radical口Frequency#17169DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, animal sounds like those represented by 吱 are often depicted in children's stories and folk tales, emphasizing the connection between humans and nature. This character highlights the appreciation of the natural world in everyday life.
Memory Tip
Imagine a small mouse squeaking 'zhī' as it scurries across the floor. The character 吱 has a mouth (口) that lets out this high-pitched sound, and the 'zh' sound resembles the noise made by the mouse, making it easier to remember.
Meanings of 吱
zhī(zhi1)
primary
1to chirp; to hiss; to squeak
2(onom.) creaking or groaning
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 吱
吱Simplified
7Strokes
口Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 吱
Podcast: 吱
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AI Study Notes for 吱
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a small mouse squeaking 'zhī' as it scurries across the floor. The character 吱 has a mouth (口) that lets out this high-pitched sound, and the 'zh' sound resembles the noise made by the mouse, making it easier to remember.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 吱 with similar-sounding words, as it is specific to certain animal sounds. It is generally used in informal contexts, often in literature or casual conversation about nature. Common collocations include phrases related to animal sounds or descriptions.
HSK Study Tips
Although 吱 is not included in the HSK levels, it can be connected to onomatopoeic words in HSK vocabulary. Focus on recognizing its sound-related context, as it complements other words that describe actions or sounds, enhancing your descriptive language skills.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, animal sounds like those represented by 吱 are often depicted in children's stories and folk tales, emphasizing the connection between humans and nature. This character highlights the appreciation of the natural world in everyday life.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 吱 with similar characters that represent different sounds, such as 嘶 (sī) for hissing. Make sure to use 吱 specifically for chirping or squeaking sounds to avoid confusion.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 吱
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Grammar Patterns of 吱
吱 functions as an onomatopoeic word — it imitates a sound. It often functions as an adverbial or stand-alone exclamation rather than a true verb or noun. It carries 4 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
我签到后嘎____嘎吱走过石子路来到我的房间。
I signed in and crunched across the gravel to my room.
Example Sentences for 吱 (10)
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1
我签到后嘎吱嘎吱走过石子路来到我的房间。
wǒ qiān dào hòu gā zhī gā zhī zǒu guò shí zǐ lù lái dào wǒ de fáng jiān。
I signed in and crunched across the gravel to my room.
2
电梯嘎吱一声停在了一层。
diàn tī gā zhī yī shēng tíng zài le yī céng。
The elevator creaked to a halt at the ground floor.
3
地板上的沙子在我们脚下嘎吱作响。
dì bǎn shàng de shā zǐ zài wǒ mén jiǎo xià gā zhī zuò xiǎng。
The creaking of the hinges sounded very loud in that silence.
6
老房子的门发出嘎吱嘎吱的响声.
lǎo fáng zǐ de mén fā chū gā zhī gā zhī de xiǎng shēng.
The door in the old house creaked noisily.
7
桉树上鸟儿在吱吱喳喳地叫。
ān shù shàng niǎo ér zài zhī zhī zhā zhā dì jiào。
There were birds twittering in the eucalyptus trees.
8
猴子在树上吱吱地叫着。
hóu zǐ zài shù shàng zhī zhī dì jiào zháo。
Monkeys were screeching in the trees.
9
你听到老鼠吱吱叫 吗 ?
nǐ tīng dào lǎo shǔ zhī zhī jiào?
Can you hear the mice squeaking?
10
破晓时鸟儿不断吱吱地叫, 把我们吵醒了.
pò xiǎo shí niǎo ér bù duàn zhī zhī dì jiào, , bǎ wǒ mén chǎo xǐng.
The birds, chirping relentlessly, woke us up at daybreak.
Cultural Notes for 吱
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, animal sounds like those represented by 吱 are often depicted in children's stories and folk tales, emphasizing the connection between humans and nature. This character highlights the appreciation of the natural world in everyday life.
Word Family of 吱
Words Containing This Character5
吱zhī(onom.) to squeak (of mice)
吱声to utter a word吱聲
咯吱groan
嘎吱crunch
吱嘎crunch
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 吱 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 吱
You can use 吱 when describing the sounds made by small animals, particularly in storytelling or when talking about pets.
No, 吱 is generally used in informal contexts, such as conversation or creative writing.
It is pronounced as 'zhī', with a high-level tone.
