静寂 (jìng jì) — quiet, tranquil, still

Definition

Literary, written word for profound quiet and stillness — stronger and more poetic than everyday 安静. Often used to describe a place or moment with no sound at all.

adjective
quiettranquilstill
Easily confused

Examples

  • 静寂。
    Yè wǎn de sēn lín yí piàn jìng jì.
    The forest at night is completely quiet and still.
  • 静寂，。
    Jiào shì lǐ jìng jì wú shēng, dà jiā dōu zài rèn zhēn kǎo shì.
    The classroom was silent and still; everyone was taking the exam seriously.
  • 静寂。
    Tā xǐ huan zài jìng jì de yè wǎn dú zì sàn bù.
    He likes to take a solitary walk on quiet, tranquil nights.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

静jìngquiet
寂jìsilent

'静' and '寂' both mean quiet, so it emphasizes stillness.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 靜; 静 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 靜, not the simplified 静, uses 青 and 爭 for sound; an old source also treats 青 (blue) as a meaning part.

Open 静 →

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
宀宀miánhouse
Sound part声符shēngfú
叔
叔shū寂jì
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

寂 is built from 宀, a house, and 叔, which gives its pronunciation.

Open 寂 →

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