Mandarin TempleMandarin Temple Beta Come for Knowledge. Stay for Wisdom.
Start your Chinese Learning JourneyStart Now
頤 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
頤yícheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourishzg, 16 strokes, radical 頁
yí(yi2) T2
  1. 1cheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourish
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

頤yí(yi2)

The character 頤 (yí) primarily refers to the cheeks or jaw, often associated with the lower part of the face. It can also imply the act of nourishing or taking care of something, often used in contexts related to health or sustenance.

Strokes16Radical頁
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, facial features like the cheeks are believed to reflect one's health and vitality, linking the character 頤 to concepts of nourishment and well-being.

Memory Tip

Imagine a face with prominent cheeks (the meaning of 頤) that is being nourished. The top radical 頁 (yè) looks like a head, while the bottom part resembles a nurturing hand cradling the face, reminding you of the sound 'yí'.

Meanings of 頤

yí(yi2)
1cheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourish
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 頤

頤Simplified
16Strokes
頁Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 頤

JasonAmy

Podcast: 頤

Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you

AI Study Notes for 頤

Quick Contrast

颊 (jiá) refers specifically to the cheeks, whereas 頤 (yí) encompasses a broader sense including the jaw and the idea of nourishment.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 頤 with similar-sounding words that refer to other parts of the body. This character is more formal and may not be used in casual conversation. Common collocations include 頤養 (to nourish) and 頤面 (jawline).

HSK Study Tips

Though 頤 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with words like 養 (yǎng, to raise or nourish) and 面 (miàn, face). Students should focus on the character's components and their meanings to better understand its usage.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 頤 with 齒 (chǐ, teeth) due to similar themes of the face. Remember, 頤 specifically refers to the cheeks or jaw, while 齒 refers to the teeth.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 頤

Premium — Locked

AI tone practice

Pro

Drill the tone of 頤 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.

Tone drillsInstant feedback+5 XP
See plans to unlock

Etymology of 頤

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

Phonosemantic compound. 页 represents the meaning and 臣 represents the sound. Simplified form of 頤.

Memory Hint

head

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

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 頤

Phonosemantic compound. 页 represents the meaning and 臣 represents the sound. Simplified form of 頤.

  1. 1The meaning half頁 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half臣 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawayhead
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

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

Want the full history of 頤? 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 頤?

Decomposition of 頤

IDS Structure⿰臣頁
頤Full Character
=
臣Chen2
left
頁ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 頤?

How to say cheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourish in Chinese

“cheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourish” in Chinese is頤yí

The character 頤 (yí) primarily refers to the cheeks or jaw, often associated with the lower part of the face. It can also imply the act of nourishing or taking care of something, often used in contexts related to health or sustenance.

When to use 頤

Be careful not to confuse 頤 with similar-sounding words that refer to other parts of the body. This character is more formal and may not be used in casual conversation. Common collocations include 頤養 (to nourish) and 頤面 (jawline).

頤 or something close to it

颊 (jiá) refers specifically to the cheeks, whereas 頤 (yí) encompasses a broader sense including the jaw and the idea of nourishment.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 頤 with 齒 (chǐ, teeth) due to similar themes of the face. Remember, 頤 specifically refers to the cheeks or jaw, while 齒 refers to the teeth.

Write 頤

頤

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 頤

Words Containing This Character11
颐yícheek頤
颐指气使arrogant and bossy頤指氣使
颐和园Summer Palace in Beijing頤和園
颐养to nourish頤養
大快朵颐to gorge oneself大快朵頤
颐养天年lit. to nurture one's years (idiom)頤養天年
程颐Cheng Yi (1033-1107), Song neo-Confucian scholar程頤
周敦颐Zhou Dunyi (1017-1073), Song dynasty neo-Confucian scholar周敦頤
朵颐to munch朵頤
解颐to smile解頤
颐指to order with the chin頤指
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 颐 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 頤

Common phrases include 頤養 (to nourish) and 頤面 (jawline), which relate directly to facial features and health.

Jason Recommends

Not sure what to learn after 頤?

Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.