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雉 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
雉zhìpheasant; crenellated wallng, 13 strokes, radical 隹, rank #45315, Very Hard
雉zhìringed pheasantunknown, 13 strokes, radical 隹, rank #45315, Very Hard
zhì(zhi4) T4
  1. 1pheasant; crenellated wall
  2. 2ringed pheasant
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

雉zhì(zhi4)

The character 雉 (zhì) primarily refers to the pheasant, a bird often associated with beauty and grace in Chinese culture. It can also denote a crenellated wall, which is a type of defensive architecture, symbolizing strength and protection. Commonly, it is used in contexts related to nature or historical references to fortifications.

Strokes13Radical隹Frequency#45315DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the pheasant is often associated with auspiciousness and is featured in poetry and art, symbolizing beauty and fidelity. The character is sometimes used metaphorically to describe someone as elegant or noble.

Memory Tip

Imagine a colorful pheasant strutting along the crenellated wall of an ancient castle, showcasing both its beauty and the strength of the wall. The character 雉 looks like a bird (the top part) perched on a wall (the bottom part), reminding you of its meaning and pronunciation 'zhì'.

Meanings of 雉

zhì(zhi4)
1pheasant; crenellated wall
2ringed pheasant
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 雉

雉Simplified
13Strokes
隹Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 雉

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Podcast: 雉

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AI Study Notes for 雉

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 雉 with similar-sounding characters; ensure you practice the tones accurately. This word is more formal and might be found in literary texts or discussions about nature. Common collocations include phrases relating to wildlife or traditional architecture.

HSK Study Tips

Although 雉 is not included in HSK levels, understanding it can enhance vocabulary related to animals and cultural references. Focus on character recognition and pronunciation, as well as connecting it to words associated with birds (e.g., 鸟 - niǎo).

Common Mistakes

Learners sometimes confuse 雉 with the character for 'bird' (鸟), leading to mispronunciation. Remember, 雉 specifically denotes 'pheasant' and should be pronounced as 'zhì' with the fourth tone.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 雉

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Etymology of 雉

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

bird

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 雉

  1. 1The meaning half隹 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half矢 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaybird
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 雉? 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 雉?

Decomposition of 雉

IDS Structure⿰矢隹
雉Full Character
=
矢shi3
left
隹zhui1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 雉?

How to say pheasant; crenellated wall in Chinese

“pheasant; crenellated wall” in Chinese is雉zhì

The character 雉 (zhì) primarily refers to the pheasant, a bird often associated with beauty and grace in Chinese culture. It can also denote a crenellated wall, which is a type of defensive architecture, symbolizing strength and protection. Commonly, it is used in contexts related to nature or historical references to fortifications.

When to use 雉

Learners often confuse 雉 with similar-sounding characters; ensure you practice the tones accurately. This word is more formal and might be found in literary texts or discussions about nature. Common collocations include phrases relating to wildlife or traditional architecture.

What learners get wrong

Learners sometimes confuse 雉 with the character for 'bird' (鸟), leading to mispronunciation. Remember, 雉 specifically denotes 'pheasant' and should be pronounced as 'zhì' with the fourth tone.

Write 雉

雉

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Cultural Notes for 雉

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, pheasants are often viewed as game birds, while in China, they hold a more symbolic and aesthetic value.

Word Family of 雉

Words Containing This Character2
雉zhìringed pheasant
雉鸡(bird species of China) common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)雉雞
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 雉 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 雉

雉 specifically refers to the pheasant, whereas other characters like 鸟 (niǎo) are general terms for birds.

Jason Recommends

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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.