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楫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
楫jípaddle, oarng, 13 strokes, radical 木
楫jíoar (archaic)unknown, 13 strokes, radical 木
jí(ji2) T2
  1. 1paddle, oar
  2. 2oar (archaic)
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

楫jí(ji2)

The character 楫 (jí) refers to a paddle or oar used for rowing. It is often associated with boats and water transportation, emphasizing its role in navigation. While it is considered somewhat archaic in modern usage, the term may appear in literary contexts or discussions about traditional watercraft.

Strokes13Radical木
Cultural Note

In ancient China, waterways were crucial for trade and transport, making the oar an essential tool for fishermen and merchants. The character 楫 reflects the importance of watercraft in Chinese history and culture, particularly in regions with extensive river systems.

Memory Tip

Imagine a boat gliding smoothly across the water, guided by a strong oar. The left part of the character (木) represents wood, which is what oars are made from, while the right part (及) suggests 'to reach' or 'to arrive'. Picture a rower skillfully maneuvering the oar to reach their destination.

Meanings of 楫

jí(ji2)
1paddle, oar
2oar (archaic)
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 楫

楫Simplified
13Strokes
木Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 楫

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Podcast: 楫

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AI Study Notes for 楫

Quick Contrast

桨 (jiǎng) - use 楫 (jí) when referring specifically to a traditional paddle, while 桨 (jiǎng) is more commonly used for modern oars.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 楫 with other similar characters like 刀 (dāo, knife) or 船 (chuán, boat). This term is more formal and may not be used in everyday conversation. In literature, look for collocations like '划楫' (huá jí, to row with a paddle).

HSK Study Tips

Though 楫 is not directly included in the HSK vocabulary, it relates to water-related terms found in HSK levels 3 and 4, such as 船 (boat) and 河 (river). Focus on understanding its context in historical texts or poetry to enhance your vocabulary around water transportation.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 楫 with 船 (chuán), leading to incorrect interpretations in context. For example, saying '我在船划楫' (Wǒ zài chuán huá jí) is incorrect; it should be '我在船划' (Wǒ zài chuán huá) to mean 'I am rowing the boat'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 楫

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Etymology of 楫

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

wood

Semantic (meaning)木
+
Phonetic (sound)咠
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 楫

  1. 1The meaning half木 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half咠 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywood
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 楫? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 楫?

Decomposition of 楫

IDS Structure⿰木咠
楫Full Character
=
木Mu4
left
咠qi4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 楫?

How to say paddle, oar in Chinese

“paddle, oar” in Chinese is楫jí

The character 楫 (jí) refers to a paddle or oar used for rowing. It is often associated with boats and water transportation, emphasizing its role in navigation. While it is considered somewhat archaic in modern usage, the term may appear in literary contexts or discussions about traditional watercraft.

When to use 楫

Be careful not to confuse 楫 with other similar characters like 刀 (dāo, knife) or 船 (chuán, boat). This term is more formal and may not be used in everyday conversation. In literature, look for collocations like '划楫' (huá jí, to row with a paddle).

楫 or something close to it

桨 (jiǎng) - use 楫 (jí) when referring specifically to a traditional paddle, while 桨 (jiǎng) is more commonly used for modern oars.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 楫 with 船 (chuán), leading to incorrect interpretations in context. For example, saying '我在船划楫' (Wǒ zài chuán huá jí) is incorrect; it should be '我在船划' (Wǒ zài chuán huá) to mean 'I am rowing the boat'.

Write 楫

楫

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

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Word Family of 楫

Words Containing This Character1
楫jíoar (archaic)
Exercise 1 of 1

Compound Meaning

What does 楫 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 楫

No, it is considered somewhat archaic and is more likely found in literary texts.

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