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臍 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
臍qínavel; belly, undersidex, 18 strokes, radical ⺼
qí(qi2) T2
  1. 1navel; belly, underside
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

臍qí(qi2)

The character 臍 (qí) refers to the navel or belly button, specifically the part of the body that marks the point of attachment for the umbilical cord. It can also imply the underside of something, often used in more anatomical or descriptive contexts.

Strokes18Radical⺼
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the navel is considered an important energy center of the body, often linked to concepts of health and vitality. Practices like acupuncture sometimes focus on the navel area for treatment.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 臍 as depicting a small circle (the navel) surrounded by a larger area (the belly). Imagine a baby reaching toward its navel, creating a vivid image of the connection between life and nourishment.

Meanings of 臍

qí(qi2)
1navel; belly, underside
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 臍

臍Simplified
18Strokes
⺼Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 臍

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Podcast: 臍

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 臍

Usage Notes

This character is primarily used in medical or anatomical discussions. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding words, like '气' (qì, meaning air or energy), due to tonal differences. Always remember to use the correct tone when speaking.

HSK Study Tips

While 臍 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, learners can connect it to body-related words in their studies. Focus on understanding its context in health and anatomy, which can enhance your vocabulary related to physical descriptions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 臍 with the character '妻' (qī, meaning wife) due to the similar pronunciation. Remember that 臍 relates to the body, while '妻' refers to a person in a relationship.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 臍

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Etymology of 臍

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

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 齐 represents the sound. Simplified form of 臍.

Memory Hint

flesh

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 臍

Phonosemantic compound. ⺼ represents the meaning and 齐 represents the sound. Simplified form of 臍.

  1. 1The meaning half月 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half齊 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayflesh
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 臍? 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 臍?

Decomposition of 臍

IDS Structure⿰月齊
臍Full Character
=
月yue4
left
齊qi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 臍?

How to say navel; belly, underside in Chinese

“navel; belly, underside” in Chinese is臍qí

The character 臍 (qí) refers to the navel or belly button, specifically the part of the body that marks the point of attachment for the umbilical cord. It can also imply the underside of something, often used in more anatomical or descriptive contexts.

When to use 臍

This character is primarily used in medical or anatomical discussions. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding words, like '气' (qì, meaning air or energy), due to tonal differences. Always remember to use the correct tone when speaking.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 臍 with the character '妻' (qī, meaning wife) due to the similar pronunciation. Remember that 臍 relates to the body, while '妻' refers to a person in a relationship.

Write 臍

臍

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 臍

Words Containing This Character6
脐qínavel臍
脐带umbilical cord臍帶
肚脐navel肚臍
脐橙navel orange臍橙
肚脐眼navel肚臍眼
种脐hilum種臍
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 脐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 臍

You pronounce it as 'qí' with a rising tone.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 臍?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.