unknown, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #17169, Very Hard
吱
zhī
(onom.) to squeak (of mice)
unknown, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #17169, Very Hard
吱
zhī
to chirp or peep (of small birds)
unknown, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #17169, Very Hard
吱
zī
to chirp; to hiss; to squeak
o, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #17169, Very Hard
吱
zī
(onom.) creaking or groaning
unknown, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #17169, Very Hard
吱
zī
(onom.) to squeak (of mice)
unknown, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #17169, Very Hard
吱
zī
to chirp or peep (of small birds)
unknown, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #17169, Very Hard
zhī(zhi1)
primary
T1
1to chirp; to hiss; to squeak
2(onom.) creaking or groaning
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
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#17169DifficultyVery Hard
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
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 吱
吱Simplified
7Strokes
口Radical
拟声词onomatopoeia (onom.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 吱
Podcast: 吱
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
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AI Study Notes for 吱
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.
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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Drill the tone of 吱 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 支 represents the sound.
1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
2The sound half支 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaymouth
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 吱? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 吱?
Decomposition of 吱
IDS Structure⿰口支
吱Full Character
=
口kou3
left
支Zhi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 吱?
How to say to chirp; to hiss; to squeak in Chinese
“to chirp; to hiss; to squeak” in Chinese is吱zhī
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.
When to use 吱
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.
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 吱
吱
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Practice writing 吱 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 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)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
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。
