吱 (zhī) — (onomatopoeia) for a squeak, chirp, or creak
Definition
Onomatopoeia for small, high-pitched squeaks and creaks — a mouse squealing, a bird chirping, a door hinge creaking. Often reduplicated as 吱吱 for a continuous sound.
onomatopoeia
for a squeakchirpor creak
Easily confused
- 技jìlook-alikeskill; ability (bound form used in compounds)
- 只zhīsound-alike(classifier) used for one of a pair of animals, objects, or body parts; also for boats, certain containers
- 枝zhīlook-alike(noun) branch
- 之zhīsound-alike(literary, possessive particle) equivalent to 的
- 肢zhīlook-alike(bound form) limb (arm or leg)
- 之zhīsound-alike(literary pronoun) him, her, it (used as object)
Examples
- “吱”。Lǎo shǔ zài qiáng jiǎo fā chū "zhī" de shēng yīn.The mouse made a “squeak” from the corner.
- “”。Xiǎo niǎo zài shù shàng "zhī zhī" dì jiào.The little bird is chirping in the tree.
- “吱”。Mén zhóu "zhī" de yī shēng kāi le.The door hinge creaked open.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
吱 pairs 口 (mouth) with 支, which gives the sound. The mouth part points to noises like a creak or chirp.
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