Meanings of 礙
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About 礙
Podcast: 礙
Podcast: 礙
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AI Study Notes for 礙
阻 (zǔ) — use 礙 (ài) when referring to hindrances that are more about emotional or metaphorical barriers, while 阻 (zǔ) is typically used for physical obstruction.
Learners often confuse 礙 with similar characters like 障 (zhàng), which also means obstacle but is used in different contexts. This character is more formal, so it is advisable to use it in written language or formal speech. Common collocations include 礙事 (ài shì, to be a hindrance) and 礙难 (ài nán, to be difficult).
While 礙 is not included in the official HSK levels, it complements vocabulary related to difficulty and obstacles found in HSK 5 and 6. Students should focus on recognizing it in context and understanding its use in idiomatic expressions.
Learners might confuse 礙 with the more commonly used 障 (zhàng). For example, saying '他是我的障碍' (He is my obstacle) instead of the more appropriate '他是我的礙事' (He is a hindrance to me). Always choose the contextually correct term.
Pronunciation of 礙
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Etymology of 礙
Phonosemantic compound. 石 represents the meaning and 㝵 represents the sound. Simplified form of 礙.
stone
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 礙
Phonosemantic compound. 石 represents the meaning and 㝵 represents the sound. Simplified form of 礙.
- 1The meaning half石 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half疑 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaystone
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 礙? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 礙
Identify the Components
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How to say to block, to deter, to hinder, to obstruct in Chinese
“to block, to deter, to hinder, to obstruct” in Chinese is礙
The character 礙 (ài) means to block, deter, hinder, or obstruct something. It is often used in contexts where an obstacle prevents progress or movement, whether physical, metaphorical, or emotional. This word is commonly found in expressions related to difficulties or barriers faced in various situations.
When to use 礙
Learners often confuse 礙 with similar characters like 障 (zhàng), which also means obstacle but is used in different contexts. This character is more formal, so it is advisable to use it in written language or formal speech. Common collocations include 礙事 (ài shì, to be a hindrance) and 礙难 (ài nán, to be difficult).
礙 or something close to it
阻 (zǔ) — use 礙 (ài) when referring to hindrances that are more about emotional or metaphorical barriers, while 阻 (zǔ) is typically used for physical obstruction.
What learners get wrong
Learners might confuse 礙 with the more commonly used 障 (zhàng). For example, saying '他是我的障碍' (He is my obstacle) instead of the more appropriate '他是我的礙事' (He is a hindrance to me). Always choose the contextually correct term.
Write 礙
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Practice writing 礙 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 礙
Compound Meaning
What does 障碍 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 礙
You can say '这件事情对我来说很礙事' (This matter is quite obstructive for me).
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