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March 24, 2026
祭jì(ji4)
The character 祭 (jì) refers to the act of sacrificing or offering to deities, ancestors, or spirits, often during rituals or festive occasions. It is commonly used in religious contexts, particularly in traditional Chinese ceremonies honoring ancestors or gods, and can also denote a formal ceremony or memorial service.
Strokes11Radical示Frequency#5740DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 祭 is a significant practice during festivals like Qingming, where families conduct rituals to honor their ancestors, reflecting the deep respect for lineage and familial ties.
Memory Tip
Imagine a grand feast (the top part of 祭) where people are gathered to pay respects and remember their ancestors (the bottom part, indicating the act of offering). The sound 'jì' can remind you of 'jeep', as if you are driving to a special place for this important ritual.
Meanings of 祭
jì(ji4)
primary
1to sacrifice to, to worship
2to offer sacrifice
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 祭
祭Simplified
11Strokes
示Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 祭
Podcast: 祭
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AI Study Notes for 祭
Quick Contrast
祭 (jì) vs 祀 (sì) — use 祭 for offerings made during rituals, while 祀 specifically refers to the act of worshipping or honoring deities.
Usage Notes
Be cautious not to confuse 祭 (jì) with 记 (jì), which means to remember, as they are pronounced similarly but have different meanings. This term is often used in formal contexts, particularly in religious or ceremonial settings, so using it in casual conversation may not be appropriate.
HSK Study Tips
Although 祭 (jì) is not part of the official HSK vocabulary, it connects with HSK Level 4 words related to culture and tradition. Students should focus on understanding its use in ceremonies and learn related vocabulary around festivals and rituals.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 祭 (jì) with 纪 (jì), which means to record. For example, saying 祭念 (jì niàn) instead of 纪念 (jì niàn) for 'commemoration' is incorrect; the correct term for remembering is 纪念.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 祭
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Depicts a hand (又) offering meat (⺼) as a sacrifice to a deity (示).
1The giveawayHand 寸 holding meat ⺼ over an altar 示
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 祭? 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 祭?
Decomposition of 祭
IDS Structure⿱⿰⺼寸示
祭Full Character
=
⺼rou4
left
寸cun4
right
示shi4
Exercise 1 of 3
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 祭?
How to say to sacrifice to, to worship in Chinese
“to sacrifice to, to worship” in Chinese is祭zhài
The character 祭 (jì) refers to the act of sacrificing or offering to deities, ancestors, or spirits, often during rituals or festive occasions. It is commonly used in religious contexts, particularly in traditional Chinese ceremonies honoring ancestors or gods, and can also denote a formal ceremony or memorial service.
When to use 祭
Be cautious not to confuse 祭 (jì) with 记 (jì), which means to remember, as they are pronounced similarly but have different meanings. This term is often used in formal contexts, particularly in religious or ceremonial settings, so using it in casual conversation may not be appropriate.
祭 or something close to it
祭 (jì) vs 祀 (sì) — use 祭 for offerings made during rituals, while 祀 specifically refers to the act of worshipping or honoring deities.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 祭 (jì) with 纪 (jì), which means to record. For example, saying 祭念 (jì niàn) instead of 纪念 (jì niàn) for 'commemoration' is incorrect; the correct term for remembering is 纪念.
Write 祭
祭
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Practice writing 祭 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 祭
祭 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 4 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
玛蒂尔达在一块有花鸟图案的____坛布上刺绣。
Matilda was embroidering an altar cloth covered with flowers and birds.
Example Sentences for 祭 (6)
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1
玛蒂尔达在一块有花鸟图案的祭坛布上刺绣。
mǎ dì ěr dá zài yī kuài yǒu huā niǎo tú àn de jì tán bù shàng cì xiù。
Matilda was embroidering an altar cloth covered with flowers and birds.
2
女司祭的授职礼
nǚ sī jì de shòu zhí lǐ
the ordination of women priests
3
当驳船抵达圣地时，辅祭除去了柩衣。
dāng bó chuán dǐ dá shèng dì shí， ， fǔ jì chú qù le jiù。
When the barge reached the shrine, acolytes removed the pall.
