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嘉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
嘉Jiāsurname Jianr, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #11917, Hard
嘉Jiāexcellentnr, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #11917, Hard
嘉Jiāauspiciousnr, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #11917, Hard
嘉Jiāexcellent; joyful; auspiciousnr, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #11917, Hard
嘉Jiāto praiseunknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #11917, Hard
嘉Jiāto commendunknown, 14 strokes, radical 口, rank #11917, Hard
Jiā(Jia1) T1
  1. 1excellent
  2. 2auspicious
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
嘉Jiā(Jia1)

The character 嘉 (jiā) carries meanings such as 'excellent,' 'auspicious,' and 'joyful.' It is often used in contexts related to praise or commendation, making it common in both personal names and positive expressions. This character embodies a sense of positivity and favorable connotations in various situations.

Strokes14Radical口Frequency#11917DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, names with the character 嘉 are often given to express goodwill and positive traits. It is common to see this character in auspicious phrases, especially during celebrations like weddings or the Lunar New Year.

Memory Tip

Imagine a joyful celebration where everyone is praising the accomplishments of the guests. The character 嘉 resembles a joyful crowd gathering to commend someone, with its components suggesting a gathering or an auspicious event, reinforcing the meaning of excellence.

Meanings of 嘉

Jiā(Jia1)
1excellent
2auspicious
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 嘉

嘉Simplified
14Strokes
口Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#11917Frequency Rank

Podcast: 嘉

JasonAmy

Podcast: 嘉

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 嘉

Quick Contrast

嘉 (jiā) vs 好 (hǎo) — use 嘉 for formal or commendatory contexts, while 好 is more casual and general.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a joyful celebration where everyone is praising the accomplishments of the guests. The character 嘉 resembles a joyful crowd gathering to commend someone, with its components suggesting a gathering or an auspicious event, reinforcing the meaning of excellence.

Usage Notes

嘉 is often used in formal contexts, especially when praising individuals or achievements. Common collocations include 嘉奖 (jiā jiǎng, to commend or reward) and 嘉宾 (jiā bīn, honored guest). Be careful with pronunciation, as misplacing tones can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

While 嘉 is not explicitly listed in HSK levels, it is beneficial for learners at HSK 3 and above. Students should connect it with related words such as 喜 (xǐ, to like) and 赞 (zàn, to praise) to deepen their understanding of positive expressions.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, names with the character 嘉 are often given to express goodwill and positive traits. It is common to see this character in auspicious phrases, especially during celebrations like weddings or the Lunar New Year.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 嘉 with other similar characters like 佳 (jiā), which also means 'excellent' but has different connotations. For example, saying '嘉的房子' instead of '佳的房子' might lead to confusion about the intended meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 嘉

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Etymology of 嘉

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

Phonosemantic compound. 壴 represents the meaning and 加 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

drum

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 嘉?

Decomposition of 嘉

IDS Structure⿱壴加
嘉Full Character
=
壴Zhu4
top
加Jia1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 嘉?

Write 嘉

嘉

Practice writing 嘉 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 嘉

嘉 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 6 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

最高骑士勋位是____德勋位。

The highest Order of Knighthood is the Order of the Garter.

Common Confusions with 嘉

嘉vs佳
jiā

Similar pronunciation and meaning; both are used in positive contexts.

嘉vs家
jiā

Same pronunciation but different meaning; 家 refers to family or home.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "excellent"?

or

Example Sentences for 嘉 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
最高骑士勋位是嘉德勋位。

zuì gāo qí shì xūn wèi shì jiā dé xūn wèi。

The highest Order of Knighthood is the Order of the Garter.
2
葛丽泰·嘉宝想方设法躲开记者和摄影师。

gé lì tài· · jiā bǎo xiǎng fāng shè fǎ duǒ kāi jì zhě hé shè yǐng。

Greta Garbo went to great lengths to hide from reporters and photographers.
3
颁给他的嘉奖令称他表现出非凡的勇气，堪为表率。

bān gěi tā de jiā jiǎng líng chēng tā biǎo xiàn chū fēi fán de yǒng qì， ， kān wéi biǎo。

His citation says he showed outstanding and exemplary courage.
4
嘉莉斜眼看着他, 有几分猜到他要有所要求了.

jiā lì xié yǎn kàn zháo tā, , yǒu jī fēn cāi dào tā yào yǒu suǒ yào qiú.

Carrie looked at him askance, half - suspicious of an appeal.
5
嘉宝饰演王后，陶醉于和安东尼奥的热恋中。

jiā bǎo shì yǎn wáng hòu， ， táo zuì yú hé ān dōng ní ào de rè liàn。

Garbo plays the Queen, rejoicing in the love she has found with Antonio.
6
我的特邀嘉宾将是喜剧演员本·艾尔顿。

wǒ de tè yāo jiā bīn jiāng shì xǐ jù yǎn yuán běn· · ài ěr。

My special guest will be comedian Ben Elton.
7
科西嘉岛腹地地势高企，环境荒芜。

kē xī jiā dǎo fù dì dì shì gāo qǐ， ， huán jìng huāng。

The interior of Corsica is high and untamed.
8
“ 喂, 嘉德, " 他看着她说道, " 你千万别紧张.

“ “, wèi ,," jiā dé , " tā kàn zháo," tā shuō dào , " nǐ qiān.

'say, Cad, " he said, looking at her, " you mustn't be nervous.
9
" 唔, 思嘉小姐, 让俺家迪尔茜喂媚兰小姐的孩子吧.

" ", wù , sī jiā, xiǎo jiě , ràng ǎn jiā dí ěr qiàn wèi mèi lán xiǎo jiě de.

" Well, Miss Scarlett, mah Dilcey ten'ter Miss Melly's chile.
10
“ 喂, 嘉德,进展如何 啊 ?

“ “, wèi ,, jiā dé , jìn zhǎn?

" Well, how goes it, Caddie? "

Cultural Notes for 嘉

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, names with the character 嘉 are often given to express goodwill and positive traits. It is common to see this character in auspicious phrases, especially during celebrations like weddings or the Lunar New Year.

Word Family of 嘉

Words Containing This Character14
嘉宾jiābīnesteemed guest嘉賓
嘉Jiāexcellent
嘉年华jiāniánhuácarnival (loanword)嘉年華
嘉奖to award嘉獎
可嘉laudable
李嘉诚Sir Li Ka-shing (1928-), Hong Kong businessman李嘉誠
嘉兴Jiaxing prefecture-level city in Zhejiang嘉興
嘉定Jiading district of northwest Shanghai
嘉庆Jiaqing Emperor (1760-1820), seventh Qing emperor, personal name 顒琰|颙琰[Yóng​yǎn], reigned 1796-1820嘉慶
嘉陵江Jialing river in Sichuan (a tributary of the Yangtze)
嘉兴市Jiaxing prefecture-level city in Zhejiang嘉興市
嘉禾Jiahe county in Chenzhou 郴州[Chēn​zhōu], Hunan
永嘉reign name 307-313 of Jin Emperor Huai 晋怀帝
李嘉欣Michele Monique Reis (1970-) actress, model and former Miss Hong Kong & Miss Chinese International
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 嘉宾 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 嘉

In names, 嘉 often signifies excellence and good fortune, reflecting the parents' wishes for their child.