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睪 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
睪yìto spy onzg, 13 strokes, radical 目, rank #34529, Very Hard
睪yìto spy outunknown, 13 strokes, radical 目, rank #34529, Very Hard
yì(yi4)yi T4
  1. 1to spy on
  2. 2to spy out
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March 24, 2026

睪yì(yi4)

The character 睪 (yì) means 'to spy on' or 'to spy out.' It is often used in contexts involving observation or surveillance, particularly in discussions about privacy or intelligence gathering. The nuance suggests a stealthy or secretive observation.

Strokes13Radical目Frequency#34529DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of surveillance can be particularly relevant due to historical contexts of governance and social control, where espionage played a significant role. This character may evoke thoughts of historical spies or modern discussions on privacy.

Memory tip

Imagine a pair of eyes (the two components of 睪) peeking out from behind a tree, cautiously observing something. The sound 'yì' can be remembered by thinking of 'eavesdropping' - both involve secret watching.

Meanings of 睪

yì(yi4)
1to spy on
2to spy out
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 睪

睪Simplified
13Strokes
目Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 睪

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Podcast: 睪

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AI study notes for 睪

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing yì, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words. This word is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation; it's more likely to appear in written contexts, such as news articles or literature.

HSK Study Tips

Although this word is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to themes of observation and intelligence, which might be explored in higher-level HSK studies. Students should focus on recognizing the character's components and its usage in formal contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 睪 with 窥 (kuī), which means to peek. For example, using '我在窥别人' is incorrect; it should be '我在睪视别人.'

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 睪

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Etymology of 睪

Formation typeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Depicts using the eye (目) to subdue (㚔) someone.

Memory hint

An eye 目 on top of a tower 幸

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

Origin

What kind of character is 睪?

Decomposition of 睪

IDS Structure⿱罒幸
睪Full character
=
罒wang3
top
幸xing4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 睪?

How to say to spy on in Chinese

“to spy on” in Chinese is睪yì

The character 睪 (yì) means 'to spy on' or 'to spy out.' It is often used in contexts involving observation or surveillance, particularly in discussions about privacy or intelligence gathering. The nuance suggests a stealthy or secretive observation.

When to use 睪

Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing yì, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with other similar-sounding words. This word is more formal and may not be commonly used in everyday conversation; it's more likely to appear in written contexts, such as news articles or literature.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 睪 with 窥 (kuī), which means to peek. For example, using '我在窥别人' is incorrect; it should be '我在睪视别人.'

Write 睪

睪

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

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Word Family of 睪

Words containing this character1
睪yìto spy out

Frequently asked questions about 睪

You can use 睪 in a sentence like '他在睪视别人' (He is spying on others).

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