Learn a Chinese Character - 经

1. Character Basics

Radical: 糸/mì (silk radical)

Stroke Count: 8

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: jīng (first tone) / jìng (fourth tone)

3. Meaning

jīng: Classic, scripture, warp (of cloth), to pass through, to go through

jìng: To manage, to govern, to conduct

4. Common Words

• 经典 (jīng diǎn) - classic, scripture
• 经济 (jīng jì) - economy, economic
• 经验 (jīng yàn) - experience
• 经过 (jīng guò) - to pass through, process
• 经营 (jīng yíng) - to manage, to operate
• 已经 (yǐ jīng) - already

5. Grammar & Usage

Part of Speech: Can be used as a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb

Pronunciation Notes:

• 读"jīng"时，多表示"经典、经过、已经"等意思
• 读"jìng"时，多表示"经营、治理"等意思，较为书面化

Usage Patterns:

• 经 + Noun: 经济发展 (jīng jì fā zhǎn) - economic development
• 已经 + Verb: 他已经离开了 (tā yǐ jīng lí kāi le) - He has already left
• 经过 + Place: 经过公园 (jīng guò gōng yuán) - pass through the park
• 经营 + Business: 经营商店 (jīng yíng shāng diàn) - run a store

Idioms:

• 一本正经 (yī běn zhèng jīng) - serious, solemn
• 饱经风霜 (bǎo jīng fēng shuāng) - have experienced many hardships

6. Cultural Background

Confucian Classics: The character "经" is closely associated with the Confucian classics (儒家经典), which are the foundational texts of traditional Chinese culture and philosophy.

Traditional Thought: In Chinese culture, "经" represents fundamental principles, rules, or truths that guide behavior and understanding of the world.

Textile Industry: Originally, "经" referred to the warp threads in weaving, which are the longitudinal threads that form the foundation of cloth. This reflects the importance of textiles in ancient Chinese society.

Modern Usage: Today, "经" is widely used in fields such as economics, management, and education, maintaining its original connotation of foundational principles.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Character Breakdown: "经" is composed of "纟" (sī, silk radical) on the left and "巠" (jīng) on the right.

Visual Association: The left part "纟" relates to silk or threads, which connects to the original meaning of "warp threads in weaving." The right part "巠" provides the pronunciation.

Mnemonic Device: Remember that "经" sounds like "jīng" and can be associated with "经典" (jīngdiǎn, classic), which helps recall its meaning as something fundamental or important.

Usage Help: To distinguish the two pronunciations, remember that "jīng" is more commonly used in everyday language, while "jìng" is more often used in formal or literary contexts related to management or governance.