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March 24, 2026
颊(頰)jiá(jia2)
The character 颊 (jiá) refers to the cheeks or the jaw area of the face. It's commonly used in contexts related to facial features, anatomy, and expressions. The term can also appear in medical discussions or descriptions of emotions conveyed through facial expressions.
Strokes12Radical页Frequency#21360DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, facial features, including the cheeks, are often linked to health and well-being, where each part of the face can indicate different physical conditions or emotional states. This underscores the importance of facial expressions in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a smiling face where the cheeks (颊) are rounded and prominent, like a pair of joyful balloons. The character has a radical for 'mouth' (口) at the bottom, hinting at its connection to facial features, and the 'corner' component suggests the side of the face where the cheeks are located.
Meanings of 颊
jiá(jia2)
1cheeks, jaw
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 颊
颊Simplified
頰Traditional
12Strokes
页Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 颊
Podcast: 颊
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AI Study Notes for 颊
Usage Notes
While using 颊, it's important to distinguish it from other facial terms like '脸' (liǎn), which means 'face.' This character is more specific to the cheeks and may be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is less common in everyday conversation. Be careful with the tone; it is pronounced in the second tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.
HSK Study Tips
Although 颊 is not included in the official HSK levels, it connects well with other anatomical terms you might encounter, such as '眉' (méi, eyebrow) and '眼' (yǎn, eye) in discussions about the face. Focus on recognizing and using it in context with similar vocabulary.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 颊 with '脸' (liǎn) and use it incorrectly in broader contexts. For example, saying '我喜欢他的脸' (wǒ xǐhuān tā de liǎn) is correct, but using 颊 in the same way may sound awkward unless specifically discussing the cheeks.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 颊
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1The giveawayThe jaw in 夹 the head 页; 夹 also provides the pronunciation
2On the record asideographic — someone drew an idea rather than an object.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 颊? 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 颊?
Decomposition of 颊
IDS Structure⿰夹页
颊Full Character
=
夹jia1
left
页ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 颊?
How to say cheeks, jaw in Chinese
“cheeks, jaw” in Chinese is颊jiá
The character 颊 (jiá) refers to the cheeks or the jaw area of the face. It's commonly used in contexts related to facial features, anatomy, and expressions. The term can also appear in medical discussions or descriptions of emotions conveyed through facial expressions.
When to use 颊
While using 颊, it's important to distinguish it from other facial terms like '脸' (liǎn), which means 'face.' This character is more specific to the cheeks and may be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is less common in everyday conversation. Be careful with the tone; it is pronounced in the second tone, which can change the meaning if mispronounced.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 颊 with '脸' (liǎn) and use it incorrectly in broader contexts. For example, saying '我喜欢他的脸' (wǒ xǐhuān tā de liǎn) is correct, but using 颊 in the same way may sound awkward unless specifically discussing the cheeks.
Write 颊
颊
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Practice writing 颊 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 颊
颊 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). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
