Learn a Chinese Character - 济

1. Character Basics

Radical: 氵 (shuǐ radical, "water" radical)

Stroke Count: 9

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jì, jǐ (多音字/multi-syllable character)

3. Meaning

to help, to relieve, to assist, to cross a river, to rescue, to provide for, to benefit, to be sufficient

4. Common Words

• 经济 (jīng jì) - economy, economics, economical
• 救济 (jiù jì) - relief, aid, succor
• 接济 (jiē jì) - to give material assistance to, to help
• 济济一堂 (jǐ jǐ yī táng) - a gathering of many talented people
• 济世 (jì shì) - to help the world, to serve humanity
• 济南 (Jǐ nán) - Jinan (city in Shandong Province)

5. Grammar & Usage

1. Used as a verb meaning "to help", "to relieve", or "to assist"

2. Has two main pronunciations: jì (most common) and jǐ (used in proper nouns like 济南/Jinan)

3. Often used in compound words related to economics, assistance, and relief

4. Can be used in both formal and informal contexts, with different shades of meaning depending on context

6. Cultural Background

The character 济 has deep cultural significance in Chinese civilization. The original meaning of 济 was "to cross a river", but it later evolved to mean "to help" or "to relieve". This evolution reflects the importance of mutual assistance and community support in Chinese culture. The concept of 济世 (jì shì - to help the world) has been a core value in Chinese philosophy, particularly in Confucianism, which emphasizes social responsibility and helping others.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 既有 9 strokes. It consists of the 氵 (water) radical on the left and 齐 (整齐/neat) on the right. You can remember it by thinking of "water helping to make things neat" - which connects to its meanings of helping, relieving, and providing assistance. The water radical also relates to its original meaning of "crossing a river".