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呲 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
呲cīto grimace; to bare one's teethv, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #46863, Very Hard
呲cī(coll.) to scoldunknown, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #46863, Very Hard
呲cīto rebukeunknown, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #46863, Very Hard
呲zīto grimace; to bare one's teethv, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #46863, Very Hard
呲zī(coll.) to scoldunknown, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #46863, Very Hard
呲zīto rebukeunknown, 9 strokes, radical 口, rank #46863, Very Hard
cī(ci1)
primary
T1
  1. 1to grimace; to bare one's teeth
  2. 2(coll.) to scold
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

呲cī(ci1)

The character 呲 (cī) primarily means to grimace or to bare one's teeth, often used in contexts where someone shows displeasure or disdain. It can also imply scolding or rebuking someone, particularly in informal situations. This term is often associated with a strong emotional expression, making it more colloquial than formal.

Strokes9Radical口Frequency#46863DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, showing teeth or grinning can indicate aggression or displeasure, especially in a confrontational context. The use of 呲 in language reflects the importance of maintaining face and the subtleties of emotional expression.

Memory Tip

Imagine a fierce animal showing its teeth in a threatening way, making a sound like 'cī' as it prepares to scold or rebuke anyone who comes too close. The character 呲 has a mouth radical (口) that connects to the idea of speaking or expressing displeasure, emphasizing the vocal aspect of the action.

Meanings of 呲

cī(ci1)
primary
1to grimace; to bare one's teeth
2(coll.) to scold
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 呲

呲Simplified
9Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 呲

JasonAmy

Podcast: 呲

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 呲

Quick Contrast

呲 (cī) vs 露 (lù) — choose 呲 when emphasizing a grimace or showing teeth in displeasure, while 露 refers more generally to revealing or exposing something.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 呲 with similar-sounding words. While it is informal, it can convey strong emotions, so use it appropriately in context. Common collocations include expressions of anger or annoyance when someone is scolded or rebuked.

HSK Study Tips

Though 呲 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects to emotional expression often covered in beginner levels. Focus on how to use it in everyday conversations, especially when discussing feelings or reactions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mix up 呲 with other characters that have similar pronunciations but different meanings. For example, using 呲 (cī) when they mean to express joy, which would be incorrect; instead, they should use 笑 (xiào) for smiling or laughing.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 呲

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Etymology of 呲

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

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)此
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 呲

  1. 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half此 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymouth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 呲? 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 呲?

Decomposition of 呲

IDS Structure⿰口此
呲Full Character
=
口kou3
left
此ci3
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 呲?

How to say to grimace; to bare one's teeth in Chinese

“to grimace; to bare one's teeth” in Chinese is呲cī

The character 呲 (cī) primarily means to grimace or to bare one's teeth, often used in contexts where someone shows displeasure or disdain. It can also imply scolding or rebuking someone, particularly in informal situations. This term is often associated with a strong emotional expression, making it more colloquial than formal.

When to use 呲

Be careful not to confuse 呲 with similar-sounding words. While it is informal, it can convey strong emotions, so use it appropriately in context. Common collocations include expressions of anger or annoyance when someone is scolded or rebuked.

呲 or something close to it

呲 (cī) vs 露 (lù) — choose 呲 when emphasizing a grimace or showing teeth in displeasure, while 露 refers more generally to revealing or exposing something.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mix up 呲 with other characters that have similar pronunciations but different meanings. For example, using 呲 (cī) when they mean to express joy, which would be incorrect; instead, they should use 笑 (xiào) for smiling or laughing.

Write 呲

呲

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 呲

Words Containing This Character2
呲cīto rebuke
呲牙咧嘴to grimace (in pain)
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 呲 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 呲

No, 呲 is typically used in informal contexts and is not suitable for formal writing.

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