掷 (zhī) — to throw, to cast, to fling, to hurl
Definition
Mostly appears in set phrases like 掷硬币 ('toss a coin') and 掷骰子 ('roll dice'), or with 把 to throw something with force. Stronger and more literary than 扔.
verb
to throwto castto flingto hurl
Easily confused
- 郑zhènglook-alikesurname Zheng
- 只zhīsound-alike(classifier) used for one of a pair of animals, objects, or body parts; also for boats, certain containers
- 之zhīsound-alike(literary, possessive particle) equivalent to 的
- 之zhīsound-alike(literary pronoun) him, her, it (used as object)
- 知zhīsound-aliketo know, to be aware
- 支zhīsound-alikeclassifier for long, thin objects (pens, guns), army divisions, and songs/compositions
Examples
- 掷。Tā yòng lì bǎ qiú zhī le chū qù.He threw the ball out with force.
- 掷。Wǒ men zhī yìng bì jué dìng shuí xiān kāi shǐ.We tossed a coin to decide who goes first.
- ，掷。Zài yóu xì zhōng, nǐ xū yào zhī tóu zi qián jìn.In the game, you need to roll the dice to advance.
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.
This origin belongs to the traditional form 擲; 掷 is its simplified writing.
Sound part声符shēngfú
鄭
鄭zhèng擲zhì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The traditional form 擲 uses 手 (hand) for the action and 鄭 for the sound; the simplified 掷 is a later shorthand.
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