HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #22134, Very Hard
忌
jì
fear
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #22134, Very Hard
忌
jì
dread
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #22134, Very Hard
忌
jì
scruple
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #22134, Very Hard
忌
jì
to avoid or abstain from
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #22134, Very Hard
忌
jì
to quit
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #22134, Very Hard
忌
jì
to give up sth
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #22134, Very Hard
忌
jì
jealous, envious; to fear; to shun
HSK 7, v, 7 strokes, radical 心, rank #22134, Very Hard
jì(ji4) T4
1to be jealous of
2fear
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
忌jì(ji4)
The character 忌 (jì) primarily means to avoid or abstain from something due to fear or jealousy. It can also express a sense of dread or scruple in certain contexts, particularly when referring to superstitions or cultural taboos. This word is commonly used when discussing behaviors or actions that one might refrain from out of caution or envy.
Strokes7Radical心Frequency#22134DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, the concept of 忌 is often linked to superstitions and avoidance of certain words or actions that may bring bad luck. For example, some people avoid certain numbers or phrases during festivals to prevent invoking bad fortune.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person looking over their shoulder in jealousy, afraid of what others might think. The character 忌 has a 'heart' (心) inside it, representing emotions like jealousy and fear, combined with 'to avoid' (忌 itself can imply avoidance). Picture this person avoiding their friend's success, feeling both jealousy and the need to stay away from negativity.
Meanings of 忌
jì(ji4)
1to be jealous of
2fear
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 忌
忌Simplified
7Strokes
心Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#22134Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 忌
Podcast: 忌
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 忌
Quick Contrast
忌 (jì) vs 避 (bì) — choose 忌 when the avoidance is due to fear or superstition, while 避 is more general for avoiding something.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 忌 (jì) with similar sounding words that do not convey the same meaning, such as 急 (jí) which means 'urgent'. It is generally used in more formal contexts, especially in literature or discussions about ethics and morality. Common collocations include 忌讳 (jìhuì), meaning 'taboo'.
HSK Study Tips
While 忌 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it relates to other words about emotions and ethics, such as 恨 (hèn, to hate) and 怕 (pà, to fear). Students should focus on understanding its various meanings and the contexts in which it is used, such as in idiomatic expressions or cultural discussions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 忌 in sentences about liking something, mistakenly saying, ‘我忌这个音乐’ (I avoid this music) instead of ‘我喜欢这个音乐’ (I like this music). Remember, 忌 should relate to avoidance due to fear or jealousy.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 忌
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 忌 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 己 represents the sound.
1The meaning half心 carries the sense.
2The sound half己 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 忌? 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 忌?
Decomposition of 忌
IDS Structure⿱己心
忌Full Character
=
己ji3
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 忌?
How to say to be jealous of in Chinese
“to be jealous of” in Chinese is忌jì
The character 忌 (jì) primarily means to avoid or abstain from something due to fear or jealousy. It can also express a sense of dread or scruple in certain contexts, particularly when referring to superstitions or cultural taboos. This word is commonly used when discussing behaviors or actions that one might refrain from out of caution or envy.
When to use 忌
Be careful not to confuse 忌 (jì) with similar sounding words that do not convey the same meaning, such as 急 (jí) which means 'urgent'. It is generally used in more formal contexts, especially in literature or discussions about ethics and morality. Common collocations include 忌讳 (jìhuì), meaning 'taboo'.
忌 or something close to it
忌 (jì) vs 避 (bì) — choose 忌 when the avoidance is due to fear or superstition, while 避 is more general for avoiding something.
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 忌 in sentences about liking something, mistakenly saying, ‘我忌这个音乐’ (I avoid this music) instead of ‘我喜欢这个音乐’ (I like this music). Remember, 忌 should relate to avoidance due to fear or jealousy.
Write 忌
忌
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 忌 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 忌
忌 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 8 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
我把最后两指宽的波旁威士____都倒进自己杯中。
I poured two final fingers of bourbon into my glass.
