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擠 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
擠jǐto squeeze, to push against; crowdedx, 17 strokes, radical 扌
jǐ(ji3) T3
  1. 1to squeeze, to push against; crowded
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March 24, 2026

擠jǐ(ji3)

The character 擠 (jǐ) means to squeeze or push against something. It is commonly used in contexts where there is a physical action of compressing or crowding, such as when people are trying to fit into a small space or when items are packed tightly together.

Strokes17Radical扌
Cultural Note

In urban areas of China, particularly in busy cities like Beijing and Shanghai, the experience of being 'squeezed' in public transport is common and often discussed humorously among locals.

Memory Tip

Imagine a crowded subway where everyone is jostling for space. The character 擠 looks like a person pushing against a wall (the left side) and a crowd of people (the right side) trying to get through, reminding you of the sound 'jǐ' as they squeeze in.

Meanings of 擠

jǐ(ji3)
1to squeeze, to push against; crowded
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 擠

擠Simplified
17Strokes
扌Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 擠

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Podcast: 擠

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AI Study Notes for 擠

Quick Contrast

挤 (jǐ) vs 拥 (yōng) — use 擠 (jǐ) when emphasizing the action of squeezing into a tight space, while 拥 (yōng) focuses more on the idea of crowding or embracing.

Usage Notes

Be cautious not to confuse 擠 with similar-sounding words. It's more informal and often used in everyday situations, whereas more formal alternatives may exist. Common collocations include 擠公交 (squeeze onto the bus) and 擠進 (squeeze into).

HSK Study Tips

Though 擠 is not part of the standard HSK vocabulary, its usage connects to words related to movement and space. Students should focus on using it in practical scenarios, particularly when discussing crowded places or physical interactions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 擠 with the character 推 (tuī), which means 'to push' without the squeezing connotation. Instead of saying 擠人 (squeeze people), one might incorrectly say 推人 (push people), which changes the meaning.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 擠

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Etymology of 擠

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 齐 represents the sound. Simplified form of 擠.

Memory Hint

hand

Semantic (meaning)扌
+
Phonetic (sound)齊
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

擠 = 扌 + 齊. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 擠

IDS Structure⿰扌齊
擠Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
齊qi2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 擠?

How to say to squeeze, to push against; crowded in Chinese

“to squeeze, to push against; crowded” in Chinese is擠jǐ

The character 擠 (jǐ) means to squeeze or push against something. It is commonly used in contexts where there is a physical action of compressing or crowding, such as when people are trying to fit into a small space or when items are packed tightly together.

When to use 擠

Be cautious not to confuse 擠 with similar-sounding words. It's more informal and often used in everyday situations, whereas more formal alternatives may exist. Common collocations include 擠公交 (squeeze onto the bus) and 擠進 (squeeze into).

擠 or something close to it

挤 (jǐ) vs 拥 (yōng) — use 擠 (jǐ) when emphasizing the action of squeezing into a tight space, while 拥 (yōng) focuses more on the idea of crowding or embracing.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 擠 with the character 推 (tuī), which means 'to push' without the squeezing connotation. Instead of saying 擠人 (squeeze people), one might incorrectly say 推人 (push people), which changes the meaning.

Write 擠

擠

Practice writing 擠 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Word Family of 擠

Words Containing This Character19
挤jǐto crowd in擠
拥挤yōngjǐcrowded擁擠
挤出to squeeze out擠出
挤压jǐyāto squeeze擠壓
挤满jam-packed擠滿
排挤to crowd out排擠
挤进to break into擠進
挤占to seize擠占
拥挤不堪overcrowded擁擠不堪
挤兑a run on a bank擠兌
挤奶to milk擠奶
挤入to squeeze in擠入
挤眉弄眼to make eyes擠眉弄眼
挤牙膏lit. to squeeze out toothpaste擠牙膏
挤眼to wink擠眼
压挤to squeeze out壓擠
挤对to bully擠對
挨挤to jostle挨擠
挤轧to bump and shove擠軋
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 擠

What does 挤 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 擠

It is pronounced as 'jǐ', with a falling tone.

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