Chinese Character: 稼
1. Character Basics
Radical: 禾/hé radical (grain, rice plant)
Stroke Count: 15
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jià
Pronunciation Note: Pronounced with a falling tone (fourth tone).
3. Meaning
sowing, planting, grains, crops, harvest, agricultural work
4. Common Words
- 庄稼 (zhuāngjia) - crops, grain crops - Plants grown for food, especially cereals
- 稼穑 (jiàsè) - farming, cultivation - The work of planting and harvesting crops
- 耕稼 (gēngjià) - plowing and planting - Agricultural activities of plowing and sowing
- 农稼 (nóngjià) - farming, agriculture - The practice of growing crops
- 稼轩 (Jiàxuān) - a style name of a famous poet - The courtesy name of Xin Qiji, a renowned Song Dynasty poet
- 稼事 (jiàshì) - agricultural work, farming - Work related to agriculture
5. Grammar & Usage
1. As a noun: "稼" is primarily used as a noun referring to crops or agricultural work, as in "庄稼" (crops).
2. In compound words: It is most commonly used in compound words related to agriculture, such as "稼穑" (farming) and "耕稼" (plowing and planting).
3. Literary usage: The character is more frequently used in classical Chinese and literary contexts rather than in everyday spoken language.
4. In proper nouns: "稼" appears in some personal names and courtesy names, particularly those related to agriculture or rural life.
6. Cultural Background
The character "稼" holds deep cultural significance in Chinese civilization, which has historically been an agricultural society. The character's composition, with the grain radical (禾) and the component for "home" or "structure", reflects the central importance of agriculture to the livelihood and stability of Chinese communities. Throughout Chinese history, agricultural work (稼穑) has been highly valued, and the character appears in numerous classical texts and proverbs that emphasize the importance of farming and粮食 production. The concept of "稼" is closely tied to traditional Chinese values of hard work, self-sufficiency, and respect for nature.
7. Example Sentence
今年的庄稼长得很好。
Pinyin: Jīnnián de zhuāngjia zhǎng de hěn hǎo.
Translation: This year's crops are growing very well.
8. Memory Tips
The character "稼" consists of two parts: the radical "禾" (grain, rice plant) and the component "家" (home, family). You can remember it by thinking of growing grain (禾) to support a family (家). The component "家" also helps with remembering the pronunciation (jià), as it has a similar sound.