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诘 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
jiéto question, to interrogatev, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
jiéto investigateunknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
jiéto restrainunknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
jiéto scoldunknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
to question, to interrogatev, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
to investigateunknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
to restrainunknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
to scoldunknown, 8 strokes, radical 讠, Very Hard
(ji2)
primary
T2
  1. 1to question, to interrogate
  2. 2to investigate
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
(詰)(ji2)

The character 诘 (jí) primarily means to question or interrogate someone, often in a formal or serious context. It can also imply a sense of investigation or scolding, where one party seeks clarity or accountability from another. This character is commonly used in legal or formal discussions.

Strokes8RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, questioning authority is often seen as disrespectful, making the use of 诘 in formal contexts particularly significant. The character embodies the concept of accountability, which is highly valued in both personal and professional relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a detective interrogating a suspect, asking pointed questions to get to the truth. The character 诘 has a radical that resembles 'speech' (言), suggesting that it involves verbal questioning. Think of 'jí' as the sound of someone sharply questioning another, like the sharp 'j' sound in 'judge'.

Meanings of 诘

(ji2)
primary
1to question, to interrogate
2to investigate
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 诘

Simplified
Traditional
8Strokes
Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 诘

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Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 诘

Quick Contrast

质 (zhì) - use 诘 (jí) when emphasizing formal questioning or interrogation, whereas 质 (zhì) leans more towards questioning the quality or nature of something.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a detective interrogating a suspect, asking pointed questions to get to the truth. The character 诘 has a radical that resembles 'speech' (言), suggesting that it involves verbal questioning. Think of 'jí' as the sound of someone sharply questioning another, like the sharp 'j' sound in 'judge'.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 诘 with other question-related verbs like 问 (wèn), which is more general. It's used in formal contexts, so avoid using it in casual conversations. Common collocations include 诘问 (to interrogate) and 诘责 (to scold). Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 'jí', as mispronunciation can lead to misunderstandings.

HSK Study Tips

Although 诘 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, it can be useful for advanced learners. It connects with other words related to questioning, such as 询问 (xúnwèn - to inquire) and 质问 (zhìwèn - to question or challenge), which helps build a nuanced understanding of interrogation language.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, questioning authority is often seen as disrespectful, making the use of 诘 in formal contexts particularly significant. The character embodies the concept of accountability, which is highly valued in both personal and professional relationships.

Common Mistakes

Learners might confuse 诘 with 质 (zhì) due to their similar meanings in questioning contexts. For example, saying '我会质他' instead of '我会诘他' is incorrect; the former is less formal and lacks the interrogative nuance.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 诘

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Etymology of 诘

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 吉 represents the sound. Simplified form of 詰.

Memory Hint

speech

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 诘?

Decomposition of 诘

IDS Structure⿰讠吉
Full Character
=
yan2
left
Ji2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 诘?

Write 诘

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 诘

诘 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 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 1

Complete the Sentence

这番冒犯性的话实际上是一名观众的____难。

The offending comment was in fact a heckle from an audience member.

Example Sentences for 诘 (1)

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1
这番冒犯性的话实际上是一名观众的诘难。

zhè fān mào fàn xìng de huà shí jì shàng shì yī míng guān zhòng de jié nán。

The offending comment was in fact a heckle from an audience member.

Cultural Notes for 诘

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, questioning authority is often seen as disrespectful, making the use of 诘 in formal contexts particularly significant. The character embodies the concept of accountability, which is highly valued in both personal and professional relationships.

Word Family of 诘

Words Containing This Character4
to scold
诘问to ask questions詰問
反诘rhetorical question反詰
盘诘to cross-examine (law)盤詰
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 诘 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 诘

No, 诘 is typically reserved for formal contexts, such as legal discussions or serious inquiries.