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翼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
翼yìalternative name for 絳HSK 6, ng, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
翼yìwingHSK 6, ng, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
翼yìarea surrounding the bullseye of a targetHSK 6, ng, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
翼yìto assistHSK 6, ng, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
翼yìone of the 28 constellations of Chinese astronomyHSK 6, ng, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
翼yìwings, fins; shelterHSK 6, ng, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
翼yìalternative name for 絳|绛[Jiang4] capital of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-475 BC)HSK 6, unknown, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
翼yìsurname YiHSK 6, ng, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
翼yìcapital of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period (770-475 BC)HSK 6, ng, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
翼yìold variant of 翌HSK 6, ng, 17 strokes, radical 羽, rank #8251, Hard
yì(Yi4) T4
  1. 1alternative name for 絳
  2. 2wing
Also a Chinese surname, Yi — see the Surname Dictionary
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

翼yì(Yi4)

The character 翼 (yì) primarily means 'wing' and is often used to describe something that provides support or assistance, much like wings assist a bird in flight. It can also refer to specific cultural and historical contexts, such as the capital of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period, or represent one of the 28 constellations in Chinese astronomy.

Strokes17Radical羽Frequency#8251DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

翼 has historical significance in Chinese culture as it refers to the capital of the Jin State, a key player during the Spring and Autumn Period. This period is important in Chinese history, marking the rise of various states and the foundation of many cultural practices.

Memory Tip

Imagine a bird with wide wings (翼) soaring through the sky, assisting its young ones to take flight. The character has a radical related to wings, which visually connects to its meaning of flight and support, making it easier to remember both its form and pronunciation.

Meanings of 翼

yì(Yi4)
1alternative name for 絳
2wing
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 翼

翼Simplified
17Strokes
羽Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#8251Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSKKL3BCT✓CEFRC1

Podcast: 翼

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Podcast: 翼

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AI Study Notes for 翼

Quick Contrast

翅 (chì) - use 翼 (yì) for a broader or more metaphorical sense of 'wing' or support, while 翅 (chì) specifically refers to 'wing' in a more literal, anatomical context.

Usage Notes

翼 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in literature or discussions about nature and astronomy. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters like 义 (yì, meaning 'righteousness') or 翌 (yì, meaning 'next day'). Always remember to pronounce it with the fourth tone to avoid confusion.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 6 word, 翼 connects well with other advanced vocabulary related to nature, support, and astronomy. Students should focus on its usage in literary texts and its historical significance to enhance their understanding and vocabulary retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 翼 with 翌 (yì, meaning 'next day') due to similar pronunciation. A common mistake would be to use 翼 in a context where 'next' is required, such as saying '明天翼' instead of '明天翌' (míngtiān yì) for 'tomorrow'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 翼

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Etymology of 翼

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

Phonosemantic compound. 羽 represents the meaning and 異 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

wings

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 翼

Phonosemantic compound. 羽 represents the meaning and 異 represents the sound.

  1. 1The meaning half羽 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half異 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywings
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 翼? 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 翼?

Decomposition of 翼

IDS Structure⿱羽異
翼Full Character
=
羽yu3
top
異yi4
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 翼?

How to say alternative name for 絳 in Chinese

“alternative name for 絳” in Chinese is翼yì

The character 翼 (yì) primarily means 'wing' and is often used to describe something that provides support or assistance, much like wings assist a bird in flight. It can also refer to specific cultural and historical contexts, such as the capital of the Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period, or represent one of the 28 constellations in Chinese astronomy.

When to use 翼

翼 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in literature or discussions about nature and astronomy. Common mistakes include confusing it with similar-sounding characters like 义 (yì, meaning 'righteousness') or 翌 (yì, meaning 'next day'). Always remember to pronounce it with the fourth tone to avoid confusion.

翼 or something close to it

翅 (chì) - use 翼 (yì) for a broader or more metaphorical sense of 'wing' or support, while 翅 (chì) specifically refers to 'wing' in a more literal, anatomical context.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 翼 with 翌 (yì, meaning 'next day') due to similar pronunciation. A common mistake would be to use 翼 in a context where 'next' is required, such as saying '明天翼' instead of '明天翌' (míngtiān yì) for 'tomorrow'.

Write 翼

翼

Practice writing 翼 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 翼

翼 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 10 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 4

Complete the Sentence

周末右____分子对外国人的攻击最终演变成了这场骚乱。

The unrest capped a weekend of right-wing attacks on foreigners.

Example Sentences for 翼 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
周末右翼分子对外国人的攻击最终演变成了这场骚乱。

zhōu mò yòu yì fēn zǐ duì wài guó rén de gōng jī zuì zhōng yǎn biàn chéng le zhè cháng sāo luàn。

The unrest capped a weekend of right-wing attacks on foreigners.
2
一群骨干右翼参议员曾企图左右自己的同僚。

yī qún gǔ gān yòu yì cān yì yuán zēng qǐ tú zuǒ yòu zì jǐ de tóng liáo。

A hard-core group of right-wing senators had hoped to sway their colleagues.
3
他小心翼翼地跨过残余的隔墙。

tā xiǎo xīn yì yì dì kuà guò cán yú de gé qiáng。

He moved carefully over what remained of partition walls.
4
他开始放入意大利面，小心翼翼地将面一缕缕分开。

tā kāi shǐ fàng rù yì dà lì miàn， ， xiǎo xīn yì yì dì jiāng miàn yī lǚ lǚ fēn。

He began to feed in the spaghetti, carefully separating the strands.
5
他伸出舌头，鼻翼扇动着。

tā shēn chū shé tóu， ， bí yì shàn dòng。

He stuck out his tongue and flared his nostrils.
6
在1,000英尺的高度飞行时，他听到旋翼发出一种奇怪的噪音。

zài1,000 1,000 yīng chǐ de gāo dù fēi háng， shí ， tā tīng dào xuán yì fā chū yī zhǒng qí guài de。

Flying at 1,000 ft. he heard a peculiar noise from the rotors.
7
他注意到机翼在一块一块地断裂。

tā zhù yì dào jī yì zài yī kuài yī kuài dì duàn liè。

He noticed that fabric was tearing away from the plane's wing.
8
整个午饭期间，他一直在小心翼翼地回避房子的话题。

zhěng gè wǔ fàn qī jiān， ， tā yī zhí zài xiǎo xīn yì yì dì huí bì fáng zǐ de huà。

All through lunch he had carefully avoided the subject of the house.
9
言辞激烈的右翼领袖在会后收敛了他的好战言论。

yán cí jī liè de yòu yì lǐng xiù zài huì hòu shōu liǎn le tā de hǎo zhàn yán lùn。

The fiery right-wing leader toned down his militant statements after the meeting.
10
飞机的两个机翼遭受撞击折断了。

fēi jī de liǎng gè jī yì zāo shòu zhuàng jī zhē duàn le。

The two wings of the aircraft broke off on impact.

Word Family of 翼

Compounds1
瀷
Words Containing This Character20
翼yìwing
小心翼翼xiǎoxīnyìyìprudent
右翼the right flank
左翼left-wing (political)
机翼wing (of an aircraft)機翼
不翼而飞búyì’érfēito disappear without trace不翼而飛
羽翼wing
尾翼empennage (of an aircraft)
鼻翼ala nasi
副翼aileron (aeronautics)
如虎添翼with redoubled power (idiom)
翼展wingspan
翼龙Dodge Nitro (abbr. for 道奇翼龍|道奇翼龙)翼龍
襟翼(aircraft) wing flap
翼手龙pterodactyl翼手龍
比翼双飞fig. two hearts beating as one比翼雙飛
水翼船hydrofoil
比翼(flying) wing to wing
羽翼丰满fully fledged羽翼豐滿
比翼齐飞to fly wing to wing (idiom)比翼齊飛
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 翼 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 翼

Common phrases include '翼展' (yì zhǎn) meaning 'wingspan' and '助翼' (zhù yì) meaning 'to assist or support'. These phrases highlight the supportive aspect of the word.

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