Learn a Chinese Character - 结

1. Character Basics

Radical: 纟/sī (silk radical)

Stroke Count: 9

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jié (second tone) and jiē (first tone)

3. Meaning

jié: tie; knot; bind; unite; join; conclude; end; result; fruit; settlement

jiē: bear fruit; form knots; result in (used in compounds)

4. Common Words

• 结束 (jiéshù) - end, finish, conclude

  会议终于结束了。

  The meeting finally ended.

• 结婚 (jiéhūn) - get married

  他们计划明年结婚。

  They plan to get married next year.

• 团结 (tuánjié) - unite, solidarity

  我们应该团结一心。

  We should unite as one.

• 结果 (jiéguǒ) - result, outcome

  这个实验的结果很有趣。

  The result of this experiment is very interesting.

• 打结 (dǎjié) - tie a knot

  请帮我在绳子上打结。

  Please help me tie a knot in the rope.

• 结实 (jiēshi) - strong, sturdy, solid

  这把椅子很结实。

  This chair is very sturdy.

5. Grammar & Usage

The character 结 has two main pronunciations with different grammatical patterns:

Pronunciation jié (second tone):

• As a verb:

  表示连接、结合、结束等动作

  Examples: 结绳 (tie a rope), 结婚 (get married), 结束 (end)

• In compound verbs:

  常与其他字组合成表示连接、结束等意义的动词

  Examples: 联结 (connect), 凝结 (condense), 总结 (summarize)

• In the structure "结+名词":

  形成表示结果、产品的名词

  Examples: 结果 (result), 结晶 (crystallization), 结局 (ending)

• In the structure "动+结":

  表示完成或达到某种状态

  Examples: 团结 (unite), 联结 (connect), 凝结 (condense)

• In idiomatic expressions:

  Example: 结草衔环 (jiécǎo xiánhuán) - repay kindness, 比喻感恩图报

Pronunciation jiē (first tone):

• As a verb:

  主要表示植物结果实

  Example: 结果 (jiēguǒ) - bear fruit

• In adjectives:

  表示坚固耐用

  Example: 结实 (jiēshi) - strong, sturdy

• In the structure "结+名词":

  表示形成某种状态

  Example: 结痂 (jiējiā) - form a scab

注意："结"是多音字，要根据不同的语境选择正确的发音和意义。

6. Cultural Background

The character 结 has rich cultural significance in Chinese society:

• 中国结 (Zhōngguó jié) - Chinese knots, which are traditional decorative knots with cultural and symbolic meanings, often used in festivals and celebrations.
• In Chinese marriage customs, 结 has special importance, as seen in 结婚 (jiéhūn, get married) and 结发夫妻 (jiéfà fūqī, married couple with hair tied together, representing lifelong commitment).
• The concept of 团结 (tuánjié, unity) is deeply valued in Chinese culture, emphasizing the strength of collective effort.
• In traditional Chinese medicine, 结 is used to describe certain conditions, such as 结块 (jiékuài, lumps or masses in the body).
• The idiom 结草衔环 (jiécǎo xiánhuán) is often used to express gratitude and repayment of kindness, derived from ancient Chinese legends.
• In agriculture, 结果 (jiēguǒ, bearing fruit) is an important concept, symbolizing harvest and abundance.

Overall, the character 结 reflects important cultural values such as connection, commitment, unity, and fruition in Chinese society.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

The character 结 (jié/jiē) can be broken down into two parts:

• The left part is 纟 (sī), the silk radical, which means "silk" or "thread".
• The right part is 吉 (jí), which means "auspicious" or "lucky" and provides the pronunciation clue.

To remember this character:

1. Associate the combination of 纟 and 吉 with the idea of tying or connecting something (using thread) in an auspicious way, like tying knots for good luck.
2. Practice writing the character several times, focusing on the correct stroke order: first the three horizontal lines of the 纟 radical, then the 士 and 口 components of the 吉 part.
3. Connect the character to its most common uses in everyday phrases like 结束 (end) or 结婚 (get married).
4. Use mnemonics: Imagine using thread (纟) to tie a knot for good luck (吉), representing the idea of connection and binding.
5. Remember the two different pronunciations and meanings: jié for tying/connecting/ending, and jiē for bearing fruit or being sturdy.
6. Learn the character's cultural significance by associating it with Chinese knots, marriage customs, and the value of unity in Chinese culture.