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諧 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
諧xiéto joke, to jest; to harmonize, to agreex, 16 strokes, radical 言, rank #74002, Very Hard
xié(xie2) T2
  1. 1to joke, to jest; to harmonize, to agree
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March 24, 2026

諧xié(xie2)

The character 諧 (xié) primarily means to joke or jest, but it also conveys the idea of harmonizing or agreeing. It is often used in contexts involving humor or light-hearted conversation, as well as in musical or social settings where agreement and harmony are essential.

Strokes16Radical言Frequency#74002DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, humor often plays an important role in social interactions, and 諧 reflects this aspect of communication. Jokes and lighthearted banter can help to build relationships and ease tensions in both personal and professional settings.

Memory Tip

Think of 諧 (xié) as a combination of 'speech' (言) and 'harmony' (和). Imagine a comedian on stage using words to create laughter, harmonizing with the audience's reactions. The pronunciation 'xié' sounds like 'share'—imagine sharing a joke that brings everyone together in harmony.

Meanings of 諧

xié(xie2)
1to joke, to jest; to harmonize, to agree
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 諧

諧Simplified
16Strokes
言Radical
非语素字non-morpheme character (n-m.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

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Podcast: 諧

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AI Study Notes for 諧

Quick Contrast

和 (hé) - use 諧 (xié) when emphasizing humor or jesting, while 和 (hé) focuses on general harmony or agreement.

Usage Notes

When using 諧, be cautious of its context, as it can imply light-heartedness or serious agreement depending on the situation. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure you understand the context to use it correctly. It is generally used in informal settings, especially in conversations about humor.

HSK Study Tips

Although 諧 is not included in the official HSK levels, it can be connected to HSK 4 vocabulary related to feelings and communication. Focus on practicing its use in sentences that involve humor or social agreements to enhance retention.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 諧 by applying it in overly formal contexts where humor is inappropriate. For example, saying '我们今天的会很谐' (Our meeting today is very harmonious) is awkward; instead, say '我们的讨论很和谐' (Our discussion is harmonious).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 諧

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Etymology of 諧

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

Phonosemantic compound. 讠 represents the meaning and 皆 represents the sound. Simplified form of 諧.

Memory Hint

speech

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

Origin

諧 = 言 + 皆. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 諧

IDS Structure⿰言皆
諧Full Character
=
言yan2
left
皆jie1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 諧?

How to say to joke, to jest; to harmonize, to agree in Chinese

“to joke, to jest; to harmonize, to agree” in Chinese is諧xié

The character 諧 (xié) primarily means to joke or jest, but it also conveys the idea of harmonizing or agreeing. It is often used in contexts involving humor or light-hearted conversation, as well as in musical or social settings where agreement and harmony are essential.

When to use 諧

When using 諧, be cautious of its context, as it can imply light-heartedness or serious agreement depending on the situation. A common mistake is to confuse it with similar-sounding words; ensure you understand the context to use it correctly. It is generally used in informal settings, especially in conversations about humor.

諧 or something close to it

和 (hé) - use 諧 (xié) when emphasizing humor or jesting, while 和 (hé) focuses on general harmony or agreement.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 諧 by applying it in overly formal contexts where humor is inappropriate. For example, saying '我们今天的会很谐' (Our meeting today is very harmonious) is awkward; instead, say '我们的讨论很和谐' (Our discussion is harmonious).

Write 諧

諧

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

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Cultural Notes for 諧

🌏Cross-cultural Insight

In Western cultures, humor is often more direct and can include sarcasm, while in Chinese culture, humor may rely more on wordplay and subtleties, as reflected in the meaning of 諧.

Word Family of 諧

Words Containing This Character17
和谐héxiéharmonious和諧
谐音homonym諧音
谐xiéharmonious諧
诙谐humorous詼諧
谐波harmonic (wave with frequency an integer multiple of the fundamental)諧波
谐振resonance諧振
调谐harmonious調諧
谐和concordant諧和
和谐性compatibility和諧性
谐趣humor諧趣
谐美harmonious and graceful諧美
谐谑banter諧謔
谐剧Xieju opera (ballad and dancing monologue, popular in Sichuan)諧劇
简谐振动simple harmonic oscillation簡諧振動
谐振子harmonic oscillator (physics)諧振子
谐振动harmonic oscillation (e.g. sound wave)諧振動
简谐波sine wave簡諧波
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 諧

What does 和谐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 諧

You can use 諧 in casual conversations when joking or discussing harmonious relationships.

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