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颐 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
颐yícheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourishns, 13 strokes, radical 页, rank #23374, Very Hard
颐yícheekunknown, 13 strokes, radical 页, rank #23374, Very Hard
颐yílower cheekunknown, 13 strokes, radical 页, rank #23374, Very Hard
yí(yi2) T2
  1. 1cheeks, jaw; chin; rear; to nourish
  2. 2cheek
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

颐(頤)yí(yi2)

The character 颐 (yí) primarily refers to the lower part of the face, including the cheeks and chin. It is also used in the context of nourishment, both physically and metaphorically, suggesting care or maintenance. This character is often used in phrases related to health and well-being.

Strokes13Radical页Frequency#23374DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the concept of nourishing (颐) is deeply ingrained, often linked to traditional practices such as diet therapy and holistic health, which emphasize the importance of taking care of one's body and mind.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person with a prominent chin (颐) who is nourishing their body with healthy food. The character can be visualized as a face, with the '口' (mouth) component suggesting eating or nourishment, and the '颐' component resembling the shape of a jawline.

Meanings of 颐

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

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 颐

颐Simplified
頤Traditional
13Strokes
页Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 颐

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Podcast: 颐

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AI Study Notes for 颐

Usage Notes

Be cautious of the context in which you use 颐, as it can have both literal and metaphorical meanings. It is more commonly found in literary or formal contexts rather than casual conversation. Ensure to use it correctly in phrases related to health, such as 颐养 (nourishing).

HSK Study Tips

Although 颐 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, it connects with other body-related terms at higher levels. Students should focus on understanding how this character can be used in different phrases, particularly those related to health and care.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 颐 with similar characters due to its specific meaning related to the face. For example, using 颐 when referring to the general concept of 'face' instead of specific parts like cheeks or chin can lead to inaccuracies. Correct usage would be to refer specifically to these parts or concepts related to nourishment.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 颐

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Etymology of 颐

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)页
+
Phonetic (sound)臣
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 颐

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

  1. 1The meaning half页 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 颐? 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 颐?

Decomposition of 颐

IDS Structure⿰臣页
颐Full Character
=
臣Chen2
left
页ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 颐?

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

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

The character 颐 (yí) primarily refers to the lower part of the face, including the cheeks and chin. It is also used in the context of nourishment, both physically and metaphorically, suggesting care or maintenance. This character is often used in phrases related to health and well-being.

When to use 颐

Be cautious of the context in which you use 颐, as it can have both literal and metaphorical meanings. It is more commonly found in literary or formal contexts rather than casual conversation. Ensure to use it correctly in phrases related to health, such as 颐养 (nourishing).

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 颐 with similar characters due to its specific meaning related to the face. For example, using 颐 when referring to the general concept of 'face' instead of specific parts like cheeks or chin can lead to inaccuracies. Correct usage would be to refer specifically to these parts or concepts related to nourishment.

Write 颐

颐

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 颐

颐 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). It carries 3 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

戴夫、____索和桃丽丝把我接进客厅.

Dave and Esau and Doris led me into the parlor.

Example Sentences for 颐 (1)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
戴夫、颐索和桃丽丝把我接进客厅.

dài fū、 、 yí suǒ hé táo lì sī bǎ wǒ jiē jìn kè.

Dave and Esau and Doris led me into the parlor.

Word Family of 颐

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 颐

It is pronounced as 'yí' with a rising tone.

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