口诀 (kǒu jué) — mnemonic rhyme; pithy formula (used for easy memorization); Kwukyel (early Korean writing system using Chinese characters)

Definition

A 口诀 is a short, rhythmic formula (often a rhyme or verse) designed to be easy to memorize — used for things like medicine, martial arts, or math.

noun
mnemonic rhymepithy formula (used for easy memorization)Kwukyel (early Korean writing system using Chinese characters)

Examples

  • 口诀，。
    Zhè ge kǒu jué hěn hǎo jì, bèi yí biàn jiù jì zhù le.
    This pithy formula is easy to remember; after reciting it once, I had it memorized.
  • 口诀。
    Zhōng yī lǎo shī jiào le wǒ men hěn duō zhì bìng kǒu jué.
    The Chinese medicine teacher taught us many treatment mnemonic formulas.
  • 口诀。
    Tā xiě le yì běn guān yú jì yì kǒu jué de shū.
    He wrote a book about mnemonic formulas.

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.

口kǒumouth
诀juéformula

口 supplies mouth, 诀 supplies formula, so it means a formula passed down by mouth.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The form 口 looks like an open mouth.

Open 口 →

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 訣; 诀 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
夬
夬guài訣jué
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 訣 puts 言 beside 夬: 言 is the meaning part, and 夬 gives the sound. The simplified 诀 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical components.

Open 诀 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.