Learn a Chinese Character - 节

1. Character Basics

Radical: 艹/cǎo (grass radical)

Stroke Count: 5

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jié (first tone)

3. Meaning

Festival; holiday;节气 (solar term); section; part; joint; node; to save; to economize; to control; to restrain

4. Common Words

• 节日 (jiérì) - festival, holiday

  春节是中国最重要的传统节日。

  The Spring Festival is China's most important traditional festival.

• 节约 (jiéyuē) - to save, to economize

  我们应该节约用水和用电。

  We should save water and electricity.

• 节气 (jiéqì) - solar term

  二十四节气是中国传统的时间制度。

  The 24 solar terms are China's traditional time system.

• 章节 (zhāngjié) - chapter, section

  请阅读这本书的第一章第一节。

  Please read the first section of the first chapter of this book.

• 节日 (jiérì) - festival, holiday

  国庆节是十月一日。

  National Day is on October 1st.

• 节奏 (jiézòu) - rhythm, tempo

  这个音乐的节奏很快。

  The rhythm of this music is very fast.

5. Grammar & Usage

The character 节 has several important grammatical patterns and usages:

• As a noun (节日, 节气, 章节):

  Used to refer to festivals, solar terms, or sections

  Example: 中秋节是一个团圆的节日。 (Mid-Autumn Festival is a festival for family reunion.)

• As a verb (节约, 节制):

  Used to mean 'to save' or 'to control'

  Example: 我们要节约资源。 (We need to save resources.)

• In the structure "XX节":

  Where XX is the name of a festival

  Examples: 春节 (Chūnjié - Spring Festival), 圣诞节 (Shèngdànjié - Christmas)

• In the phrase "节气":

  Used specifically to refer to the 24 solar terms in traditional Chinese calendar

  Example: 立春是二十四节气中的第一个。 (Lìchūn is the first of the 24 solar terms.)

• In the phrase "节约XX":

  Where XX is the resource being saved

  Examples: 节约用水 (save water), 节约用电 (save electricity)

• In idiomatic expressions:

  Used in various idioms with specific meanings

  Example: 开源节流 (kāiyuán jiéliú) - to increase revenue and reduce expenditure

节 is a versatile character that appears in many contexts related to time, celebration, economy, and structure.

6. Cultural Background

The character 节 has deep cultural significance in Chinese society:

• Traditional Chinese festivals (节日) are an important part of Chinese culture, with major ones including Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival, and Qingming Festival.
• The 24 solar terms (二十四节气) system, which divides the year into 24 periods based on the sun's position, has been used in China for thousands of years to guide agricultural activities and daily life.
• The concept of 节约 (thrift, frugality) is highly valued in Chinese culture, influenced by Confucian teachings that emphasize moderation and sustainability.
• Chinese architecture often incorporates 节 (joints, nodes) as structural elements in traditional timber buildings.
• Traditional Chinese music uses the concept of 节奏 (rhythm) that differs from Western musical traditions.
• During festivals, Chinese people engage in various cultural activities such as eating special foods, giving gifts, and participating in traditional performances.

The character 节 thus represents both time-related concepts (festivals, solar terms) and values (thrift, moderation) that are central to Chinese culture.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 节 (jié) can be broken down into two parts:

• The top part is 艹 (cǎo), the grass radical.
• The bottom part is 卩 (jié), which originally meant "seal" or "stamp" but now serves as a phonetic component.

To remember this character:

1. Associate the 艹 radical with plants growing in sections or joints.
2. Practice writing the character several times, focusing on the correct stroke order: first the horizontal line, then the two vertical lines of the 艹 radical, followed by the 卩 component.
3. Connect the character to its most common use in everyday phrases like 节日 (festival) or 节约 (save).
4. Use mnemonics: Imagine a grass (艹) growing with distinct sections or joints (节).
5. Learn the character's cultural significance by associating it with Chinese festivals and traditions.
6. Notice how 节 appears in compound words with related meanings, and learn these compounds together to expand your vocabulary.