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敕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
敕chìan imperial order or decreeng, 11 strokes, radical 攵, rank #58219, Very Hard
chì(chi4) T4
  1. 1an imperial order or decree
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March 24, 2026

敕(勅)chì(chi4)

The character 敕 (chì) refers to an imperial order or decree, historically used in the context of commands issued by an emperor. It signifies a formal and authoritative instruction, often related to governance or significant state matters. Although it is less common in modern usage, it appears in historical texts and discussions about imperial China.

Strokes11Radical攵Frequency#58219DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In ancient China, the issuance of 敕 was a demonstration of imperial power and authority, reflecting the centrality of the emperor in governance. Such decrees were often carved on tablets and displayed publicly, signifying their importance.

Memory Tip

Imagine an emperor sitting on his throne, issuing a decree (敕) to his subjects. The character 敕 looks like a person (the '人' radical) standing before the emperor, awaiting instructions. This can help you remember that the word is about orders and commands related to governance.

Meanings of 敕

chì(chi4)
1an imperial order or decree
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 敕

敕Simplified
勅Traditional
11Strokes
攵Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 敕

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Podcast: 敕

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AI Study Notes for 敕

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 敕 with similar-sounding characters. It's important to remember that 敕 has a formal tone and is not used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 敕命 (chì mìng), meaning 'imperial order'.

HSK Study Tips

Although 敕 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can enhance your comprehension of historical texts and cultural references. It connects to other characters related to authority and governance, such as 命 (mìng), which means 'command'. Focus on recognizing its use in classical literature.

Common Mistakes

Learners may mistakenly use 敕 in casual conversation, thinking it simply means 'order'. In reality, it carries a formal and historical connotation. A better choice for everyday use would be 命令 (mìng lìng), which means 'command'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 敕

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Etymology of 敕

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

Phonosemantic compound. 攵 represents the meaning and 束 represents the sound. Simplified form of 勅.

Memory Hint

script

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 敕

Phonosemantic compound. 攵 represents the meaning and 束 represents the sound. Simplified form of 勅.

  1. 1The meaning half攵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half束 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayscript
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 敕? 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 敕?

Decomposition of 敕

IDS Structure⿰束攵
敕Full Character
=
束Shu4
left
攵pu1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 敕?

How to say an imperial order or decree in Chinese

“an imperial order or decree” in Chinese is敕chì

The character 敕 (chì) refers to an imperial order or decree, historically used in the context of commands issued by an emperor. It signifies a formal and authoritative instruction, often related to governance or significant state matters. Although it is less common in modern usage, it appears in historical texts and discussions about imperial China.

When to use 敕

Learners often confuse 敕 with similar-sounding characters. It's important to remember that 敕 has a formal tone and is not used in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 敕命 (chì mìng), meaning 'imperial order'.

What learners get wrong

Learners may mistakenly use 敕 in casual conversation, thinking it simply means 'order'. In reality, it carries a formal and historical connotation. A better choice for everyday use would be 命令 (mìng lìng), which means 'command'.

Write 敕

敕

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

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Word Family of 敕

Words Containing This Character2
敕chìvariant of 敕[chì]勅
敕令Imperial order or edict (old)
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 敕 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 敕

No, 敕 is primarily used in historical contexts and is not commonly encountered in everyday conversation.

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