戚 (qī) — (bound form) relative, kin (used in compounds like 亲戚)
Definition
戚 (qī) is a bound form meaning 'relative, kin.' It never stands alone — it always appears in compounds like 亲戚 (qīnqi, relatives).
bound form
relativekin (used in compounds like 亲戚)
Easily confused
- 槭qīlook-alikemaple (bound form, used in compounds like 槭树, 槭木)
- 七qīsound-alikeseven
- 嘁qīlook-alike(onomatopoeia) whispering sound; rustling
- 期qīsound-alike(classifier) for issues of a periodical (magazine, newspaper, etc.)
- 妻qīsound-alikewife (bound form, used in compound words)
- 漆qīsound-alike(noun) paint, lacquer
Examples
- ，。Chūn jié de shí hou, wǒ men dōu huì qù zǒu qīn qī.During Spring Festival, we all go visit relatives.
- 。Tā hé wǒ shì qīn qī guān xì.He and I are related by blood.
- 。Wǒ men liǎng jiā shì qīn qī.Our two families are relatives.
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.
Sound part声符shēngfú
尗
尗shū戚qī
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The form 戚 pairs 戊, a scythe-like cutting weapon, with 尗 as a sound hint; it was later borrowed to mean 'relative'.
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