Definition
节 (jié) has several uses. As a classifier, it marks connected segments like lessons or train cars (一节车厢), while 段 (duàn) is for stretches of time, text, or road (一段路). As a noun, 节 refers to a specific festival (春节) or solar term; 节日 is the general word for 'festival/holiday', and 假日 means 'day off'.
classifier
for segments of connected things: lessonstrain carssections
noun
festivalholidaysolar term
verb
to economizeto save
Easily confused
- 茎jīnglook-alikestem, stalk
- 接jiēsound-aliketo answer (the phone), to pick up (someone), to receive (an object or person)
- 苗Miáolook-alikeMiao (an ethnic group in China, mainly in Guizhou, Yunnan, and Hunan)
- 街jiēsound-alikestreet
- 借jièsound-aliketo borrow
- 结jiésound-alike(noun) knot
- 结jiēsound-alike(of plants) to produce (fruit or seeds)
- 解jiěsound-aliketo untie; to loosen; to separate
- 戒jièsound-aliketo quit, to give up (a habit or addiction)
- 界jièsound-alike(suffix) realm, world, sphere
Examples
- 节。Wǒmen měitiān shàng sì jié Hànyǔ kè.We have four Chinese lessons every day.
- ，。chūn jié kuài dào le, dàjiā dōu hěn gāoxìng.The Spring Festival is coming, and everyone is very happy.
- 。wǒmen yào jié yuē yì diǎn shuǐ.We need to save a little water.
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