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京 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
京Jīngabbr. for Beijingns, 8 strokes, radical 亠, rank #6210, Hard
京Jīngsurname Jingns, 8 strokes, radical 亠, rank #6210, Hard
京JīngJing ethnic minorityns, 8 strokes, radical 亠, rank #6210, Hard
京Jīngcapital city of a countryns, 8 strokes, radical 亠, rank #6210, Hard
京Jīngbigns, 8 strokes, radical 亠, rank #6210, Hard
京Jīngalgebraic term for a large number (old)ns, 8 strokes, radical 亠, rank #6210, Hard
京Jīngartificial mound (old)ns, 8 strokes, radical 亠, rank #6210, Hard
京Jīngcapital cityns, 8 strokes, radical 亠, rank #6210, Hard
Jīng(Jing1) T1
  1. 1abbr. for Beijing
  2. 2Jing ethnic minority
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
京Jīng(Jing1)

The character 京 (jīng) primarily refers to the capital city of a country, most commonly used as an abbreviation for Beijing, China's capital. It can also denote a large number in algebraic contexts or represent the Jing ethnic minority. In everyday language, it conveys the idea of significance or prominence associated with capital cities.

Strokes8Radical亠Frequency#6210DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

京, as in Beijing, is central to Chinese culture, serving as a hub for politics, culture, and history. The phrase '京城' (capital city) embodies the historical significance of Beijing as the heart of China.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant 'J' that stands tall like a skyscraper in a city (representing Beijing) to remember '京' (jīng). The radical '亠' (lid) on top suggests something important is contained underneath, symbolizing the capital's status.

Meanings of 京

Jīng(Jing1)
1abbr. for Beijing
2Jing ethnic minority
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 京

京Simplified
8Strokes
亠Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#6210Frequency Rank

Podcast: 京

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Podcast: 京

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AI Study Notes for 京

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a giant 'J' that stands tall like a skyscraper in a city (representing Beijing) to remember '京' (jīng). The radical '亠' (lid) on top suggests something important is contained underneath, symbolizing the capital's status.

Usage Notes

京 is often used in formal contexts, especially when discussing cities or demographics. Learners may confuse it with other characters that sound similar, so pay attention to tones. Common collocations include 北京 (Beijing) and 京剧 (Peking opera).

HSK Study Tips

京 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists but connects with other geographical terms and city names. Focus on its usage in discussing locations and cultural elements related to Beijing.

Cultural Note

京, as in Beijing, is central to Chinese culture, serving as a hub for politics, culture, and history. The phrase '京城' (capital city) embodies the historical significance of Beijing as the heart of China.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 京 with similar characters like 景 (jǐng, meaning scenery) due to pronunciation. It's important to remember that 京 specifically relates to capitals and significance, while 景 refers to visuals or landscapes.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 京

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Etymology of 京

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

Pictograph of a tall building. Similar to 高. Based on the original meaning "high place". The meaning of this character has shifted over time and now means "capital city".

Memory Hint

A capital building on a hill

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 京?

Decomposition of 京

IDS Structure⿳亠口小
京Full Character
=
亠tou2
top
口kou3
middle
小xiao3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 3

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 京?

Write 京

京

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

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Grammar Patterns of 京

京 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 8 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我是在北____学的中文。

It was in Beijing that I learned Chinese.

Example Sentences for 京 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
美元今天在东京继续保持强劲的走势。

měi yuán jīn tiān zài dōng jīng jì xù bǎo chí qiáng jìn de zǒu shì。

The US dollar continued its strong performance in Tokyo today.
2
像《东京时报》之类的一些有名望的日报已经停刊了。

xiàng《 《 dōng jīng shí》 bào 》 zhī lèi de yī xiē yǒu míng wàng de rì bào yǐ jīng tíng。

Venerable dailies such as the Tokyo Times have shut down.
3
在东京市场早市开盘时，美元对日元的比价急剧下跌。

zài dōng jīng shì cháng zǎo shì kāi pán shí， ， měi yuán duì rì yuán de bǐ jià jí jù xià。

In early trading in Tokyo, the dollar fell sharply against the yen.
4
明尼苏达维京人队签下了来自达拉斯牛仔队的赫舍尔·沃克。

míng ní sū dá wéi jīng rén duì qiān xià le lái zì dá lā sī niú zī duì de hè shě ěr· · wò。

The Minnesota Vikings signed Herschel Walker from the Dallas Cowboys.
5
老舍(1899-1966)北京人.

lǎo shě(1899-1966) (1899-1966) běi jīng.

Most of his writings were short stories and prose.
6
东京今天美元收高。

dōng jīng jīn tiān měi yuán shōu gāo。

The US dollar closed higher in Tokyo today.
7
在东京的某些地方是买不到鱼的。

zài dōng jīng de mǒu xiē dì fāng shì mǎi bù dào yú de。

Fish was unobtainable in certain sections of Tokyo.
8
一八六零年, 战争结束, 订立《北京条约》,九龙半岛正式割让予英国.

yī bā liù líng nián, , zhàn zhēng jié, shù ,《 dìng lì 《 běi》, jīng tiáo yuē 》, jiǔ lóng bàn dǎo zhèng shì gē.

The Convention of Peking in 1860 , which ended the hostilities, provided for its outright cession.
9
他15日抵京.

tā15 15 rì dǐ.

He arrived in Beijing on the 15 th.
10
岳春河,1971年生人, 原北京同仁医院外科医师.

yuè chūn hé,1971 ,1971 nián shēng, rén , yuán běi jīng tóng rén yī yuàn wài kē.

Yue Chunhe , born in 1971, former surgeon of Beijing Tong Ren Hospital.

Cultural Notes for 京

🏮Cultural insight

京, as in Beijing, is central to Chinese culture, serving as a hub for politics, culture, and history. The phrase '京城' (capital city) embodies the historical significance of Beijing as the heart of China.

Word Family of 京

Compounds30
就jiu4at once
惊jing1to start
景Jing3surname Jing
谅liang4to forgive
凉Liang2the five Liang of the Sixteen Kingdoms, namely: Former Liang 前涼
琼qiong2jade; rare, precious; elegant
鲸jing1whale
掠lüe4to take over by force
晾liang4to dry in the air
鯨jing1whale
涼liang2cool, cold; disheartened
倞jing4far
勍
弶
椋liang2fruit
辌liang2carriage, hearse
麖
黥Qing2to tattoo; to brand the face of criminals
剠
婛
猄
稤
綡
翞
諒liang4to excuse, to forgive; to guess, to presume
輬liang2carriage, hearse
鍄
顥hao4bright, luminous; white, hoary
鶁
鷲jiu4condor, vulture
Words Containing This Character17
北京běijīngPeking
东京Tokyo, capital of Japan東京
京Jīngbig
南京capital of China at different historical periods
北京时间Chinese Standard Time北京時間
北京市Beijing
京都Kyoto, Japan
南京市capital of China at different historical periods
普京Vladimir Putin (1952-), president of Russia
北京大学Peking University北京大學
京报Peking Gazette (official government bulletin)京報
京剧jīngjùBeijing opera京劇
东京湾Tokyo Bay東京灣
维京人Viking維京人
南京大屠杀the Nanjing Massacre of 1937-38南京大屠殺
北京人Beijing resident
进京to enter the capital進京
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 就 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 京

Apart from referring to Beijing, 京 can also mean 'capital city' or denote significance in various contexts.