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馗 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
馗kuícheekbone; path, road, intersectiong, 11 strokes, radical 首
馗kuícrossroadsunknown, 11 strokes, radical 首
馗kuíhighunknown, 11 strokes, radical 首
kuí(kui2)kui T2
  1. 1cheekbone; path, road, intersection
  2. 2crossroads
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March 24, 2026

馗kuí(kui2)

The character 馗 (kuí) primarily refers to a 'cheekbone' but can also denote a 'path' or 'intersection' where roads meet. It is often used in contexts related to facial features or to describe crossroads metaphorically, highlighting connections or decisions in life.

Strokes11Radical首
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, the concept of 'crossroads' is often linked to significant life decisions, symbolizing the choices one must make throughout life, akin to how paths diverge.

Memory tip

Imagine a road (口) intersecting at a cheekbone (米), forming a 'crossroad' where paths meet. The sound 'kuí' can remind you of 'quay', a place where boats dock, similar to how roads connect people.

Meanings of 馗

kuí(kui2)
1cheekbone; path, road, intersection
2crossroads
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 馗 means.

About 馗

馗Simplified
11Strokes
首Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 馗

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Podcast: 馗

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AI study notes for 馗

Usage Notes

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it somewhat formal or literary. Be cautious with its usage in contexts related to anatomy versus metaphorical intersections, as this may lead to confusion.

HSK Study Tips

Although 馗 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can be connected to words that describe body parts (like 面, 'face') and directions (like 路, 'road'). Focus on the context of usage to differentiate meanings.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 馗 with similar characters like 魁 (kuí), which means 'leader' or 'first'. It's important to remember that 馗 has a more specific reference to anatomical features or intersections.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 馗

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Etymology of 馗

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

head

Semantic (meaning)首
+
Phonetic (sound)九
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

馗 = 首 + 九. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 馗

IDS Structure⿺九首
馗Full character
=
九jiu3
enclosing
首shou3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 馗?

How to say cheekbone; path, road, intersection in Chinese

“cheekbone; path, road, intersection” in Chinese is馗kuí

The character 馗 (kuí) primarily refers to a 'cheekbone' but can also denote a 'path' or 'intersection' where roads meet. It is often used in contexts related to facial features or to describe crossroads metaphorically, highlighting connections or decisions in life.

When to use 馗

This character is not commonly used in everyday conversation, making it somewhat formal or literary. Be cautious with its usage in contexts related to anatomy versus metaphorical intersections, as this may lead to confusion.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 馗 with similar characters like 魁 (kuí), which means 'leader' or 'first'. It's important to remember that 馗 has a more specific reference to anatomical features or intersections.

Write 馗

馗

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

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Word Family of 馗

Words containing this character2
馗kuíhigh
钟馗(fig.) a person with the courage to fight against evil鍾馗
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 馗

What does 钟馗 mean?

Frequently asked questions about 馗

It specifically refers to the cheekbone, highlighting a feature of the face.

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