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March 24, 2026
痴chī(chi1)
The character 痴 (chī) refers to a state of foolishness or stupidity, often characterized by a lack of good judgment. It can describe someone who is overly sentimental or naive, suggesting a combination of emotional excess and lack of reason. This term is commonly used in both informal and literary contexts to convey a sense of foolishness or silliness.
Strokes13Radical疒Frequency#8536DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese literature, characters described as 痴 often embody tragic romantic figures, reflecting cultural values around love and devotion. This term can also appear in traditional stories where foolishness leads to poignant lessons.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person so foolishly in love that they are 'stupid' enough to miss the obvious signs of unrequited affection. The character 痴 combines the radical for 'sickness' (疒) with 'a' (知), implying that being foolish is like having a mental ailment. 'Chī' sounds like 'cheese,' which can remind you of someone acting silly or foolish as they get overly excited about cheese!
Meanings of 痴
chī(chi1)
1foolish, stupid, dumb, silly
2imbecile
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 痴
痴Simplified
13Strokes
疒Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 痴
Podcast: 痴
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AI Study Notes for 痴
Quick Contrast
痴 (chī) vs 傻 (shǎ) — use 痴 for emotional foolishness, while 傻 implies a more general lack of intelligence.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a person so foolishly in love that they are 'stupid' enough to miss the obvious signs of unrequited affection. The character 痴 combines the radical for 'sickness' (疒) with 'a' (知), implying that being foolish is like having a mental ailment. 'Chī' sounds like 'cheese,' which can remind you of someone acting silly or foolish as they get overly excited about cheese!
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 痴 (chī) with other characters like 笨 (bèn), which also means foolish but has a more general usage. It's important to note that 痴 carries a more emotional or sentimental connotation. In speech, avoid using this term in formal contexts as it may come across as insulting.
HSK Study Tips
While 痴 is not in the HSK vocabulary lists, understanding it can enhance your grasp of emotional expressions in Mandarin. Focus on how 痴 interacts with other emotional adjectives and practice using it in sentences to convey nuanced feelings.
Cultural Note
In Chinese literature, characters described as 痴 often embody tragic romantic figures, reflecting cultural values around love and devotion. This term can also appear in traditional stories where foolishness leads to poignant lessons.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mix up 痴 (chī) with 傻 (shǎ), using them interchangeably. For example, saying '我很痴' (Wǒ hěn chī) instead of '我很傻' (Wǒ hěn shǎ) when trying to say 'I am foolish,' can lead to misunderstandings.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 痴
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Grammar Patterns of 痴
痴 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 3 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
“____呆”这一统称里包括多种不同的疾病。
Within the umbrella term "dementia" there are many different kinds of disease.
Obsessives, in any area, are invariably as boring as their hobbies.
3
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.
4
卡斯特是个白痴，是个残暴的家伙，他罪有应得。
kǎ sī tè shì gè bái chī， ， shì gè cán bào de jiā， huǒ ， tā zuì yǒu。
Custer was an idiot and a brute and he deserved his fate.
5
“你一定觉得我简直是个白痴。”
“ “ nǐ yī dìng jué dé wǒ jiǎn zhí shì gè bái。”
"You must think I'm a real idiot."
6
你是个白痴！
nǐ shì gè bái chī！
You're an idiot!
7
她不像我对体育那么痴迷。
tā bù xiàng wǒ duì tǐ yù nà mó chī mí。
She's not as mad about sport as I am.
8
在心理治疗中，她开始逐渐放下对麦克的痴迷。
zài xīn lǐ zhì liáo zhōng， ， tā kāi shǐ zhú jiàn fàng xià duì mài kè de chī。
In therapy, she began to let go of her obsession with Mike.
9
指望在他的领导下发生更深层次的变革简直是痴心妄想。
zhǐ wàng zài tā de lǐng dǎo xià fā shēng gēng shēn céng cì de biàn gé jiǎn zhí shì chī xīn wàng xiǎng。
It is wishful thinking to expect deeper change under his leadership.
10
那些患老年痴呆症的人到底出了什么问题？
nà xiē huàn lǎo nián chī dāi zhèng de rén dào dǐ chū le shí mó wèn tí？
What exactly goes wrong with those suffering from senile dementia?
Cultural Notes for 痴
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese literature, characters described as 痴 often embody tragic romantic figures, reflecting cultural values around love and devotion. This term can also appear in traditional stories where foolishness leads to poignant lessons.
Word Family of 痴
Words Containing This Character15
白痴idiocy
痴chīimbecile
痴呆chīdāiimbecility痴獃
痴迷chīmíinfatuated
痴情infatuation癡情
痴心chīxīninfatuation
如痴如醉obsessed with如癡如醉
痴心妄想wishful thinking
痴人说梦lunatic ravings痴人說夢
老年痴呆症senile dementia老年痴獃症
如醉如痴rúzuìrúchīintoxicated by sth如醉如癡
情痴infatuated情癡
痴傻stupid癡傻
痴笑to titter
痴想to daydream
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 白痴 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 痴
While it generally has negative connotations, it can also be used affectionately to describe someone who is endearingly foolish in love.
You can say '他对她很痴' ('He is very foolishly in love with her') to express strong feelings.
Yes, words like 傻 (shǎ) and 笨 (bèn) can also mean foolish, but they carry slightly different nuances.
