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借 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
借
jiè
to lend
HSK 3, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, rank #960, Medium
借
jiè
to borrow
HSK 3, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, rank #960, Medium
借
jiè
by means of
HSK 3, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, rank #960, Medium
借
jiè
to take (an opportunity)
HSK 3, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, rank #960, Medium
借
jiè
to borrow; to lend; excuse, pretext
HSK 3, v, 10 strokes, radical 亻, rank #960, Medium
jiè(jie4)jie T4
1to lend
2to borrow
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March 24, 2026
借jiè(jie4)
The character 借 (jiè) primarily means 'to lend' or 'to borrow'. It is commonly used in contexts where one person is asking to borrow something from another or offering to lend something. Additionally, it can imply taking advantage of an opportunity or using a means to achieve a goal.
Strokes10Radical亻Frequency#960DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, borrowing is often seen as a social contract, and returning borrowed items promptly is expected to maintain good relationships. This reflects the importance of trust and reciprocity in social interactions.
Memory tip
Imagine a person holding out their hand to borrow something, with the character 借 resembling a hand reaching out. The left radical 亻 (a person) signifies that this action involves people, reinforcing the idea of lending or borrowing.
Meanings of 借
jiè(jie4)
1to lend
2to borrow
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 借 means.
About 借
借Simplified
10Strokes
亻Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#960Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 借
Podcast: 借
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AI study notes for 借
Quick Contrast
借 (jiè) vs 租 (zū) — use 借 when indicating borrowing with the intent to return, while 租 refers to renting or leasing, which typically involves payment.
Usage Notes
When using 借, be careful with the context as it can imply both lending and borrowing, which can lead to misunderstandings. It's typically used in informal settings but is also appropriate in formal contexts. Common collocations include 借钱 (to borrow money) and 借书 (to borrow a book).
HSK Study Tips
At HSK Level 3, students should focus on using 借 in simple sentences to express borrowing actions. This character connects with other verbs related to actions, such as 还 (huán, to return), and understanding these relationships enhances vocabulary recall.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 借 with 还 (huán). For example, saying '我借钱' (Wǒ jiè qián) when they mean 'I return the money' is incorrect; the correct expression would be '我还钱' (Wǒ huán qián).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 借
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借 = 亻 + 昔. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 借
IDS Structure⿰亻昔
借Full character
=
亻ren2
left
昔Xi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 借?
How to say to lend in Chinese
“to lend” in Chinese is借jiè
The character 借 (jiè) primarily means 'to lend' or 'to borrow'. It is commonly used in contexts where one person is asking to borrow something from another or offering to lend something. Additionally, it can imply taking advantage of an opportunity or using a means to achieve a goal.
When to use 借
When using 借, be careful with the context as it can imply both lending and borrowing, which can lead to misunderstandings. It's typically used in informal settings but is also appropriate in formal contexts. Common collocations include 借钱 (to borrow money) and 借书 (to borrow a book).
借 or something close to it
借 (jiè) vs 租 (zū) — use 借 when indicating borrowing with the intent to return, while 租 refers to renting or leasing, which typically involves payment.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 借 with 还 (huán). For example, saying '我借钱' (Wǒ jiè qián) when they mean 'I return the money' is incorrect; the correct expression would be '我还钱' (Wǒ huán qián).
Write 借
借
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Practice writing 借 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 借
借 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 5 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
This pattern is used to emphasize the verb, often indicating a specific action or circumstance.
❝
我是借书的。
Wǒ shì jiè shū de.
I borrowed the book.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
朋友____给我一千块钱。
A friend lent me 1,000 yuan.
Common confusions with 借
借vs接
jiē
Both have similar sounds but different meanings.
借 is to borrow or lend, while 借用 implies a temporary use of something.
1
我借书给朋友。 (I lend a book to a friend.) vs. 我借用朋友的电脑。 (I temporarily use my friend's computer.)
借 is to borrow or lend, while 借用 implies a temporary use of something.
💡Remember that 借用 involves using something, not just borrowing or lending.
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “to lend”?
or
Usage Notes for 借
Confusing 借 with other borrowing termsCommon Error
Learners often confuse 借 with terms like 借用 (to borrow for temporary use) or 贷款 (to take out a loan). It's important to understand the context of borrowing.
1
我借了一本书。
I borrowed a book.
2
我申请了贷款。
I applied for a loan.
Exercise 1 of 1
Get it right
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
我____了一本书。
I borrowed a book.
Example sentences for 借 (16)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
vto lend10
1
马克被一连串借口打发了。
mǎ kè bèi yìliánchuàn jièkǒu dǎfa le。
Mark was palmed off with a series of excuses.
2
现在是向他借笔钱的时候了。
xiànzài shì xiàng tā jiè bǐ qián de shíhou le。
Now is the time to touch him for a loan.
3
借助于自己发现的一种全新的方法，他获得了成功。
jièzhù yú zìjǐ fāxiàn de yī zhǒng quánxīn de fāngfǎ， tā huòdé le chénggōng。
He succeeded with the aid of a completely new method he discovered.
They wanted a pretext for subduing the region by force.
7
你能把上衣借给我穿一会儿吗？
nǐ néng bǎ shàngyī jiè gěi wǒ chuān yíhuìr ma？
Will you lend me your jacket for a little while?
8
借着起居室的灯光，勉强能看见她的手。
jiè zhe qǐ jī shì de dēngguāng， miǎnqiǎng néng kànjiàn tā de shǒu。
Her hand was just visible by the light from the sitting room.
9
我们不能拿少数这几个人作为一种方便的借口而对此置之不理。
wǒmen bù néng ná shǎoshù zhè jǐ gèrén zuòwéi yī zhǒng fāngbiàn de jièkǒu ér duì cǐ zhì zhī bùlǐ。
We cannot make this minority a convenient excuse to turn our backs.
10
公司凭借早期产品的巨大成功而在市场上遥遥领先。
gōngsī píngjiè zǎoqī chǎnpǐn de jùdà chénggōng ér zài shìchǎng shàng yáo yáo lǐngxiān。
The company was coasting on the enormous success of its early products.
vto borrow6
11
我可以借你的书吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de shū ma?
Can I borrow your book?
12
我昨天向朋友借了一辆自行车。
Wǒ zuótiān xiàng péngyou jiè le yī liàng zìxíngchē.
I borrowed a bicycle from a friend yesterday.
13
我可以借你的书吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de shū ma?
Can I borrow your book?
14
我昨天向朋友借了一辆自行车。
Wǒ zuótiān xiàng péngyou jiè le yī liàng zìxíngchē.
I borrowed a bicycle from a friend yesterday.
15
我可以借你的书吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ jiè nǐ de shū ma?
Can I borrow your book?
16
我昨天向朋友借了一辆自行车。
Wǒ zuótiān xiàng péngyou jiè le yī liàng zìxíngchē.
I borrowed a bicycle from a friend yesterday.
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Cultural Notes for 借
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, borrowing is a common way to build relationships and trust. People often lend books, tools, or even money to friends and family to strengthen bonds.
🌏Cross-cultural Insight
The concept of borrowing in China often involves a more communal approach, where borrowing and lending are seen as acts of goodwill, unlike in some Western cultures where it can be viewed more transactionally.
Word Family of 借
Words containing this character20
借jièto lend
借口jièkǒuexcuse
凭借píngjièto rely on憑借
借助jièzhùto draw support from
借鉴jièjiànto draw on (others' experience)借鑒
借用jièyòngto borrow sth for another use
借款jièkuǎnloan
借此jiècǐthereby藉此
借钱jièqiánto borrow money借錢
借机jièjīto seize the opportunity借機
借贷jièdàito borrow or lend money借貸
租借zūjièto rent
借给jiègěito lend to sb借給
找借口zhǎojièkǒuto look for a pretext
借光jièguāngreflected glory
拆借chāijièshort-term loan
借出jièchūto lend
借以jièyǐso as to
假借jiǎjièto make use of
借宿jièsùto stay with sb
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 借
What does 借口 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 借
借 (jiè) means 'to borrow' or 'to lend', while 贷 (dài) specifically refers to 'to lend' in the context of financial transactions. In casual conversation, 借 is more commonly used.
Yes, 借 can be used in various contexts, such as borrowing money, books, or even time. It can also be used metaphorically, like '借机' which means 'to take the opportunity'.
借 (jiè) means 'to lend' or 'to borrow' in Chinese. It can also imply taking advantage of an opportunity. It's a commonly used verb in everyday conversation.
You can use 借 in a sentence like '我可以借你的书吗?' which means 'Can I borrow your book?'. It's often used when asking for something temporarily or when offering to lend something.
You can say '我借一本书' (Wǒ jiè yī běn shū), meaning 'I borrow a book'.
Yes, 借 can mean both to lend and to borrow depending on the context.
No, the pronunciation remains the same, but be mindful of the context to clarify whether you are lending or borrowing.
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