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) 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
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
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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Phonosemantic compound. 亻 represents the meaning and 昔 represents the sound. Simplified form of 藉.
1The meaning half亻 carries the sense.
2The sound half昔 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayperson
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 借? 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 借?
Decomposition of 借
IDS Structure⿰亻昔
借Full Character
=
亻ren2
left
昔Xi1
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component 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
Complete the Sentence
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
Spot the Difference
Which character 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
Fill in the Blank
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 yī lián chuàn jiè kǒu dǎ fā le。
Mark was palmed off with a series of excuses.
2
现在是向他借笔钱的时候了。
xiàn zài shì xiàng tā jiè bǐ qián de shí hòu 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。
jiè zhù yú zì jǐ fā xiàn de yī zhǒng quán xīn de fāng fǎ， ， tā huò dé le chéng。
He succeeded with the aid of a completely new method he discovered.
4
他们现在会找个蹩脚的借口重新发动战争。
tā mén xiàn zài huì zhǎo gè bié jiǎo de jiè kǒu zhòng xīn fā dòng zhàn zhēng。
They would now find some dubious pretext to restart the war.
5
他含含糊糊地找了个蹩脚的借口，想要解释自己为什么睡着了。
tā hán hán hū hū dì zhǎo le gè bié jiǎo de jiè kǒu， ， xiǎng yào jiě shì zì jǐ wéi shí mó shuì zháo。
He mumbled some lame excuse about having gone to sleep.
6
他们想找借口用武力征服这个地区。
tā mén xiǎng zhǎo jiè kǒu yòng wǔ lì zhēng fú zhè gè dì qū。
They wanted a pretext for subduing the region by force.
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.
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loan
借此thereby藉此
借钱to borrow money借錢
借机to seize the opportunity借機
借贷to borrow or lend money借貸
租借to rent
借给to lend to sb借給
找借口to look for a pretext
借光reflected glory
拆借short-term loan
借出to lend
借以so as to
假借to make use of
借宿to stay with sb
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 借 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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