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詞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
詞cíphrase, expression; words, speechx, 12 strokes, radical 言, rank #82381, Very Hard
cí(ci2) T2
  1. 1phrase, expression; words, speech
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March 24, 2026

詞cí(ci2)

The character 詞 (cí) refers to a phrase or expression, often related to words and speech. It is commonly used in contexts involving language, literature, and poetry, emphasizing the beauty and art of verbal communication.

Strokes12Radical言Frequency#82381DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, 詞 is often associated with classical poetry and lyricism, particularly in the context of Song Ci, a form of lyric poetry that emphasizes emotional expression through carefully chosen words.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'word' (詞) crafted from 'speech' and 'art.' The character has the radical 言 (yán) for 'speech' on the left, which connects to its meaning, while the right part suggests harmony and structure in phrases.

Meanings of 詞

cí(ci2)
1phrase, expression; words, speech
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

Play it, then pick what 詞 means.

About 詞

詞Simplified
12Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 詞

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Podcast: 詞

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AI Study Notes for 詞

Quick Contrast

词 (cí) vs 语 (yǔ) — use 詞 (cí) when referring specifically to phrases or expressions, while 语 (yǔ) refers more broadly to language or speech.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 詞 (cí) with 詩 (shī), which means 'poetry.' In formal contexts, 詞 is often used in literary discussions or when referring to song lyrics. Common collocations include 詞語 (cíyǔ) meaning 'words' or 'phrases.'

HSK Study Tips

Although not in the official HSK levels, understanding 詞 can enhance vocabulary related to language and literature, connecting with words like 語 (yǔ, language) and 詩 (shī, poetry). Focus on recognizing it in literary contexts.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 詞 (cí) when referring to general 'words,' mistakenly using it instead of 词语 (cíyǔ), which more accurately means 'words' or 'phrases.' Always distinguish between the two based on context.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 詞

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Jason Explains 詞 to You

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Etymology of 詞

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 司 represents the sound. Simplified form of 詞.

Memory Hint

words

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

Origin

詞 = 言 + 司. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 詞

IDS Structure⿰言司
詞Full Character
=
言yan2
left
司Si1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 詞?

How to say phrase, expression; words, speech in Chinese

“phrase, expression; words, speech” in Chinese is詞cí

The character 詞 (cí) refers to a phrase or expression, often related to words and speech. It is commonly used in contexts involving language, literature, and poetry, emphasizing the beauty and art of verbal communication.

When to use 詞

Be careful not to confuse 詞 (cí) with 詩 (shī), which means 'poetry.' In formal contexts, 詞 is often used in literary discussions or when referring to song lyrics. Common collocations include 詞語 (cíyǔ) meaning 'words' or 'phrases.'

詞 or something close to it

词 (cí) vs 语 (yǔ) — use 詞 (cí) when referring specifically to phrases or expressions, while 语 (yǔ) refers more broadly to language or speech.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 詞 (cí) when referring to general 'words,' mistakenly using it instead of 词语 (cíyǔ), which more accurately means 'words' or 'phrases.' Always distinguish between the two based on context.

Write 詞

詞

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

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Cultural Notes for 詞

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

While both Chinese and Western cultures value eloquent speech, Chinese poetry often places greater emphasis on the musicality and rhythm of words, which is encapsulated in the concept of 詞.

Word Family of 詞

Words Containing This Character20
词cíword詞
台词dialogue臺詞
歌词gēcísong lyric歌詞
证词testimony證詞
单词word單詞
关键词keyword關鍵詞
词汇cíhuìvocabulary詞彙
词语cíyǔexpression詞語
名词noun名詞
动词verb動詞
词典cídiǎnalso written 辭典|辞典[cí​diǎn]詞典
诗词verse詩詞
代名词pronoun代名詞
形容词adjective形容詞
供词confession供詞
致词to make a speech致詞
题词inscription題詞
誓词oath誓詞
陈词滥调cliché陳詞濫調
词句words and sentences詞句
Exercise 1 of 4

Characters with 詞

What does 词 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 詞

詞 refers to phrases or expressions, often in a lyrical form, while 詩 specifically denotes poetry, focusing more on structured verse.

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