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忌讳 (jì huì) — (noun) taboo; (verb) to avoid as taboo, to abstain from (out of cultural sensitivity or superstition)

Definition

忌讳 is a cultural taboo — things a society considers unlucky or improper to say or do. As a verb, it means to avoid such things out of superstition or politeness; broader than 忌口 (only about food).

noun
taboo
verb
to avoid as tabooto abstain from (out of cultural sensitivity or superstition)

Examples

  • 忌讳。
    Hěn duō rén jì huì tí dào sǐ wáng.
    Many people avoid mentioning death as a taboo.
  • 忌讳。
    Zhè shì wǒ men wén huà zhōng de yí gè jì huì.
    This is a taboo in our culture.
  • 忌讳。
    Tā zài xīn nián jì huì chī mǒu xiē shí wù.
    He abstains from certain foods during the New Year as a taboo.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

忌jìavoid
讳huìavoid

忌 (“avoid”) and 讳 (“avoid”) together form the idea of something to be avoided.

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
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 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 諱; 讳 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
韋
韋wéi諱huì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 諱 pairs 言 with 韋: 言 shows the meaning, and 韋 gives the sound.

Open 讳 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6Chinese Culture & Customs

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