Chinese Character: 井
1. Character Basics
Radical: 井/jǐng (well radical)
Stroke Count: 4
Stroke Order:
2. Pronunciation
Pinyin: jǐng (third tone)
3. Meaning
Well, mine shaft, pattern of squares, organized
4. Common Words
- 水井 (shuǐ jǐng) - water well
- 井井有条 (jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo) - neat and tidy, well-organized
- 井口 (jǐng kǒu) - well mouth, wellhead
- 井然有序 (jǐng rán yǒu xù) - in perfect order
- 市井 (shì jǐng) - marketplace, urban district
- 井田制 (jǐng tián zhì) - well-field system (ancient Chinese land distribution system)
5. Grammar & Usage
Part of Speech: Mainly used as a noun, but also in adjectival compounds
Usage Patterns:
- 作为名词: 水井 (shuǐ jǐng) - water well; 矿井 (kuàng jǐng) - mine shaft
- 重叠形式: 井井有条 (jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo) - neat and tidy; 井井有序 (jǐng jǐng yǒu xù) - well-organized
- 与其他字组合: 井口 (jǐng kǒu) - well mouth; 井底 (jǐng dǐ) - bottom of a well
- 成语用法: 井底之蛙 (jǐng dǐ zhī wā) - a frog at the bottom of a well (narrow-minded person); 井然有序 (jǐng rán yǒu xù) - in perfect order
Note: Besides its literal meaning of "well", "井" is often used metaphorically to describe orderliness or organization.
6. Cultural Background
Historical Significance: Wells have been crucial to Chinese civilization for thousands of years, providing water for drinking, irrigation, and daily life. The character "井" itself is one of the oldest Chinese characters, appearing in oracle bone inscriptions from the Shang Dynasty.
井田制 (Well-Field System): This ancient land distribution system, dating back to the Western Zhou Dynasty, divided agricultural land into nine squares, with the central square being communal land and the surrounding eight being private plots. This system had a profound influence on Chinese social and economic structures.
Cultural Symbolism: The character "井" symbolizes order, stability, and community. Phrases like "井井有条" (neat and tidy) reflect the cultural value placed on organization and harmony.
Urban Planning: The concept of the well (井) has influenced traditional Chinese urban design, with some cities and neighborhoods being laid out in grid patterns similar to the character itself.
7. Example Sentence
Chinese: 她把房间整理得井井有条。
Pinyin: Tā bǎ fángjiān zhěnglǐ de jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo.
Translation: She tidied up the room until it was neat and orderly.
8. Memory Tips
Character Shape: The character "井" visually resembles a well with a square opening and a cross inside, representing the structure of a traditional well.
Mnemonic Device: Imagine looking down into a well and seeing the cross supports inside - that's the shape of the character "井".
Word Association: Connect "井" with the common phrase "井井有条" (jǐng jǐng yǒu tiáo - neat and tidy) to help remember both its shape and its metaphorical meaning of orderliness.
Cultural Connection: Remember that "井" is not just a well, but also an important symbol in Chinese culture representing community, order, and ancient land systems.