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役 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
役yìforced laborng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìcorvéeng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìobligatory taskng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìmilitary serviceng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìto use as servantng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìto enserfng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìservant (old)ng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìwarng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìcampaignng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìbattleng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
役yìservant, laborer; service; to serveng, 7 strokes, radical 彳, rank #12878, Hard
yì(yi4) T4
  1. 1forced labor
  2. 2corvée
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
役yì(yi4)

The character 役 (yì) primarily refers to various forms of labor, especially those that are obligatory or enforced, such as military service and corvée labor. It can also denote a servant or laborer, emphasizing the aspect of service and duty in both historical and modern contexts.

Strokes7Radical彳Frequency#12878DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In ancient China, corvée labor was a common practice where peasants were compelled to work on state projects, reflecting the historical significance of duty to the state. This concept is critical in understanding the social structure and obligations within Chinese history.

Memory Tip

Imagine a soldier in uniform (representing military service) carrying a heavy load (symbolizing forced labor) on his back, while the character 役 resembles a person bent over in labor. The pronunciation 'yì' can be remembered by thinking of 'eek' as the sound of someone who is surprised by the weight of their duty.

Meanings of 役

yì(yi4)
1forced labor
2corvée
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 役

役Simplified
7Strokes
彳Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#12878Frequency Rank

Podcast: 役

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Podcast: 役

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AI Study Notes for 役

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a soldier in uniform (representing military service) carrying a heavy load (symbolizing forced labor) on his back, while the character 役 resembles a person bent over in labor. The pronunciation 'yì' can be remembered by thinking of 'eek' as the sound of someone who is surprised by the weight of their duty.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 役 with similar characters like 用 (yòng), which means 'to use.' 役 is more formal and often used in historical or military contexts. Be mindful of its negative connotation when discussing forced service, and avoid using it casually in everyday conversation.

HSK Study Tips

While not currently included in HSK levels, understanding 役 helps learners grasp the concept of obligation in language. It connects with other words related to service and duty, so focus on similar characters like 服务 (fúwù, service) and 劳动 (láodòng, labor) for broader context.

Cultural Note

In ancient China, corvée labor was a common practice where peasants were compelled to work on state projects, reflecting the historical significance of duty to the state. This concept is critical in understanding the social structure and obligations within Chinese history.

Common Mistakes

Learners may confuse 役 with 用 (yòng), leading to incorrect usage in contexts involving service. For example, saying '我用去当兵' (Wǒ yòng qù dāngbīng - 'I use to go to the army') should be corrected to '我役去当兵' (Wǒ yì qù dāngbīng).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 役

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Etymology of 役

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A person walking over 彳 with food in hand 殳

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 役?

Decomposition of 役

IDS Structure⿰彳殳
役Full Character
=
彳chi4
left
殳Shu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 役?

Write 役

役

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

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Grammar Patterns of 役

役 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.

Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

他炫耀自己通过装病来逃避服兵____。

He boasts of dodging military service by feigning illness.

Example Sentences for 役 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他炫耀自己通过装病来逃避服兵役。

tā xuàn yào zì jǐ tōng guò zhuāng bìng lái táo bì fú bīng yì。

He boasts of dodging military service by feigning illness.
2
他逃到了哥斯达黎加以逃避服兵役。

tā táo dào le gē sī dá lí jiā yǐ táo bì fú bīng yì。

He fled to Costa Rica to avoid military service.
3
班克斯在皇家海军服过兵役。

bān kè sī zài huáng jiā hǎi jūn fú guò bīng yì。

Banks spent his national service in the Royal Navy.
4
该国有将近400万现役士兵。

gāi guó yǒu jiāng jìn400 400 wàn xiàn yì shì。

There are nearly four million soldiers under arms in this country.
5
1944年4月他在战时服役中阵亡。

1944 19444 nián 4 yuè tā zài zhàn shí fú yì zhōng。

In April 1944 he was killed on active service.
6
国民警卫队和预备役的征兵工作8月下旬开始。

guó mín jǐng wèi duì hé yù bèi yì de zhēng bīng gōng zuò8 8 yuè xià xún kāi。

The call-up of National Guard and reserve units begun in late August.
7
过了1小时3刻钟,仆役回来了.

guò le1 1 xiǎo3 shí 3, kè zhōng , pū yì.

In about an hour and three - quarters the boy returned.
8
在敦刻尔克之役可歌可泣的历史中,它将年复一年地傲然前进.

zài dūn kè ěr kè zhī yì kě gē kě qì de lì shǐ zhōng, , tā jiāng nián fù yī nián dì ào rán qián.

She'll go sailing proudly down the years in the epic of Dunkirk.
9
当我们下定决心面对世界上所有事物，包括荆棘难题，就已经打赢了半场战役。

dāng wǒ mén xià dìng jué xīn miàn duì shì jiè shàng suǒ yǒu shì wù， ， bāo kuò jīng jí nán， tí ， jiù yǐ jīng dǎ yíng le bàn cháng。

We win half the battle when we make up our minds to take the world as we find it, including the thorns.
10
在灾难性的俄国战役中，拿破仑的军队成了这一愚蠢之举的牺牲品。

zài zāi nán xìng de é guó zhàn yì zhōng， ， ná pò lún de jūn duì chéng le zhè yī yú chǔn zhī jǔ de xī shēng。

Napoleon's army was sacrificed on the altar of folly in the disastrous Russian campaign.

Cultural Notes for 役

🏮Cultural insight

In ancient China, corvée labor was a common practice where peasants were compelled to work on state projects, reflecting the historical significance of duty to the state. This concept is critical in understanding the social structure and obligations within Chinese history.

Word Family of 役

Compounds1
垼
Words Containing This Character20
战役zhànyìmilitary campaign戰役
退役tuìyìto demobilize
服役to serve in the army
役yìcorvée
奴役to enslave
现役(military) active duty現役
兵役military service
拘役detention
劳役forced labor勞役
仆役servant僕役
衙役bailiff of feudal yamen
杂役odd jobs雜役
差役bailiff of feudal yamen
苦役corvée
淮海战役Huaihai Campaign (Nov 1948-Jan 1949), one of the three major campaigns by the People's Liberation Army near the end of the Chinese Civil War, considered the determining battle of the war淮海戰役
徭役corvee
毕其功于一役to accomplish the whole task at one stroke (idiom)畢其功於一役
辽沈战役Liaoshen Campaign (Sep-Nov 1948), the first of the three major campaigns by the People's Liberation Army near the end of the Chinese Civil War遼瀋戰役
役使to make use of for labor
使役working (animal)
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 战役 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 役

You can use 役 when discussing military service, historical labor practices, or in formal contexts related to duty.