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切忌 (qiè jì) — to avoid by all means; to avoid (as taboo)

Definition

A strong, written warning 'must avoid' — used in formal advice or rules, not casual speech. More forceful than 忌讳 (a general cultural taboo); contrasted with 禁忌, which names the taboo itself rather than warning against it.

verb
to avoid by all meansto avoid (as taboo)
Easily confused

Examples

  • ，切忌。
    Chū mén zài wài, qiè jì wàng le dài yào shi.
    When you're out, be sure not to forget your keys.
  • 切忌，。
    Kǎo shì qián qiè jì jǐn zhāng, yào fàng sōng xīn qíng.
    Avoid getting nervous before exams; relax.
  • 切忌，。
    Kāi chē shí qiè jì kàn shǒu jī, hěn wēi xiǎn.
    Don't look at your phone while driving — it's very dangerous.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

切qièearnestly
忌jìtaboo

切 gives the sense of earnestly or strictly, 忌 means taboo or avoid, so the whole means avoid by all means.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
刀刀dāoknife
Sound part声符shēngfú
七
七qī切qiè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In 切, the 刀 (knife) part is joined to 七, which gives the sound.

Open 切 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
己
己jǐ忌jì
Same sound today

忌 combines 己, which gives the sound, with 心, the heart, as the part connected to the meaning.

Open 忌 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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