Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
揭 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
揭jiēto take the lid offHSK 7, zg, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #11040, Hard
揭jiēto exposeHSK 7, zg, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #11040, Hard
揭jiēto unmaskHSK 7, zg, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #11040, Hard
揭jiēto lift off a cover; to reveal, to divulge; surnameHSK 7, zg, 12 strokes, radical 扌, rank #11040, Hard
jiē(jie1) T1
  1. 1to take the lid off
  2. 2to expose
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

揭jiē(jie1)

The character 揭 (jiē) primarily means 'to take the lid off' or 'to expose'. It is commonly used in contexts where something is being revealed or unmasked, such as exposing the truth or uncovering hidden information. The nuance of the term often implies a sense of revelation that leads to greater understanding or awareness.

Strokes12Radical扌Frequency#11040DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of '揭' is often associated with revealing truths in social contexts, such as in storytelling or in historical accounts where hidden information is brought to light. This reflects a broader cultural value placed on honesty and transparency.

Memory Tip

Imagine a magician revealing their secrets by lifting the lid off a box. The character 揭 is made up of the 'hand' radical (扌), representing the action of lifting, combined with the character '揭', which sounds like 'jiē'—think of a 'jewel' being revealed, emphasizing the idea of uncovering something valuable.

Meanings of 揭

jiē(jie1)
1to take the lid off
2to expose
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 揭

揭Simplified
12Strokes
扌Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#11040Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 揭

JasonAmy

Podcast: 揭

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 揭

Quick Contrast

揭 (jiē) vs 曝 (pù) — use 揭 when emphasizing the act of revealing or exposing something hidden, while 曝 suggests a more forceful exposure, often to the elements.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a magician revealing their secrets by lifting the lid off a box. The character 揭 is made up of the 'hand' radical (扌), representing the action of lifting, combined with the character '揭', which sounds like 'jiē'—think of a 'jewel' being revealed, emphasizing the idea of uncovering something valuable.

Usage Notes

Common mistakes include confusing 揭 with similar characters like 开 (kāi), which means to open but lacks the nuance of revealing. This word is more formal and is often used in written or official contexts, especially in journalism. Be cautious of pronunciation; the second tone is crucial to convey the correct meaning.

HSK Study Tips

Though not in HSK levels, 揭 can be linked to HSK vocabulary related to revealing or uncovering, such as 发现 (fāxiàn - to discover). Students should focus on understanding how 揭 differs from other synonyms and practice using it in sentences that involve uncovering information.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the act of '揭' is often associated with revealing truths in social contexts, such as in storytelling or in historical accounts where hidden information is brought to light. This reflects a broader cultural value placed on honesty and transparency.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 揭 with 关 (guān), which means to close, leading to incorrect phrases like 揭关 (jiē guān). The correct use should be focused on contexts of revealing or uncovering, such as 揭露真相 (jiēlù zhēnxiàng - to expose the truth).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 揭

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 揭 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 揭

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

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 曷 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

hand

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

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 揭?

Decomposition of 揭

IDS Structure⿰扌曷
揭Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
曷he2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 揭?

Write 揭

揭

Practice writing 揭 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 揭

揭 carries 4 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我____开一罐辣椒的盖子。

I pried the top off a can of chilli.

Example Sentences for 揭 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我揭开一罐辣椒的盖子。

wǒ jiē kāi yī guàn là jiāo de gài zǐ。

I pried the top off a can of chilli.
2
起了疑心的爱好者揭发了这一勾当，警察在诺丁汉逮捕了一名男子。

qǐ le yí xīn de ài hǎo zhě jiē fā le zhè yī gōu dāng， ， jǐng chá zài nuò dīng hàn dài bǔ le yī míng nán。

Suspicious fans exposed the racket and police arrested a man in Nottingham.
3
由于揭露此事，他被女神赫拉弄瞎了眼。

yóu yú jiē lòu cǐ shì， ， tā bèi nǚ shén hè lā nòng xiā le。

For this revelation he was struck blind by the goddess Hera.
4
有人揭发他就是个奸夫和白痴。

yǒu rén jiē fā tā jiù shì gè jiān fū hé bái chī。

He has simply been exposed as an adulterer and a fool.
5
许多人目前都有高额的定息按揭缠身。

xǔ duō rén mù qián dū yǒu gāo é de dìng xī àn jiē chán shēn。

Many people are now stuck with expensive fixed-rate mortgages.
6
1881年，萨沃伊剧院由理查德·多伊利·卡特揭幕。

1881 1881， nián ， sà wò yī jù yuàn yóu lǐ· chá dé ·· duō yī lì ·。

The Savoy Theatre was opened in 1881 by Richard D'Oyly Carte.
7
委员会的结论将十年来的否认和掩饰无情地揭开。

wěi yuán huì de jié lùn jiāng shí nián lái de fǒu rèn hé yǎn shì wú qíng dì jiē kāi。

The commission's conclusions sweep away a decade of denials and cover-ups.
8
在1974年被揭穿身份的数年里，他设法成功地把一些绝密文件交给了东柏林。

zài1974 1974 nián bèi jiē chuān shēn fèn de shù nián， lǐ ， tā shè fǎ chéng gōng dì bǎ yī xiē jué mì wén jiàn jiāo gěi le dōng。

He managed to pass top secret documents to East Berlin for many years before he was unmasked in
9
安东尼奥尼似乎以他每一部电影揭示了新的可能性.

ān dōng ní ào ní sì hū yǐ tā měi yī bù diàn yǐng jiē shì le xīn de kě néng xìng.

Antonioni seemed to open up new possibilities with every movie.
10
我不能把伦敦那套公寓卖掉，所以我把它租出去偿还按揭。

wǒ bù néng bǎ lún dūn nà tào gōng yù mài diào， ， suǒ yǐ wǒ bǎ tā zū chū qù cháng huán àn。

I couldn't sell the London flat, so I let it out to pay the mortgage.

Cultural Notes for 揭

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, the act of '揭' is often associated with revealing truths in social contexts, such as in storytelling or in historical accounts where hidden information is brought to light. This reflects a broader cultural value placed on honesty and transparency.

Word Family of 揭

Words Containing This Character20
揭晓jiēxiǎoto publish揭曉
揭露jiēlùto expose
揭开to uncover揭開
揭示jiēshìto show
揭jiēto expose
揭发jiēfāto expose揭發
按揭a mortgage
揭穿to expose
揭幕opening
揭秘to unmask
揭批to expose and criticize
揭阳Jieyang prefecture-level city in Guangdong揭陽
昭然若揭abundantly clear
揭破to uncover
揭幕式unveiling
揭阳市Jieyang prefecture-level city in Guangdong province揭陽市
揭西Jiexi county in Jieyang 揭陽|揭阳, Guangdong
揭底to reveal the inside story
揭东县Jiedong county in Jieyang 揭陽|揭阳, Guangdong揭東縣
揭载to publish揭載
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 揭晓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 揭

Besides 'to expose', 揭 can also refer to taking off a cover or lid, and it's used in a surname.