Learn a Chinese Character - 已 (yǐ) - Already

1. Character Basics (汉字基本信息)

Radical: 己 (The radical '己', which has a similar shape and is related in meaning in some cases)

Stroke Count: 3

Character Decomposition: 从象形来看，像是胎儿在母体中弯曲的形状 (Pictorially, it resembles a fetus curled up in the mother's womb)

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation (发音)

Pinyin: yǐ (third tone, meaning 'already')

3. Meaning (含义)

已 commonly means "already" or "completed". It can also express the idea of something coming to an end. “已”常见的意思是“已经”或“完成”，也可表示事情结束的意思。

4. Common Words (常用词汇)

• 已经 (yǐ jīng) - already
• 早已 (zǎo yǐ) - long ago
• 不已 (bù yǐ) - ceaselessly

5. Grammar & Usage (语法与用法)

已 is often used as an adverb to indicate that an action has been completed before a certain point in time. It can be used in both spoken and written Chinese. “已”常作为副词，表示某个动作在某个时间点之前已经完成，可用于口语和书面语中。

6. Cultural Background (文化背景)

In classical Chinese literature, 已 is frequently used to convey a sense of finality or completion. It reflects the Chinese people's understanding of the passage of time and the end of events. 在古典汉语文学中，“已”常被用来传达一种终结或完成的感觉，反映了中国人对时间流逝和事件结束的理解。

7. Example Sentence (例句)

8. Memory Tips (记忆技巧)

You can remember 已 by associating it with the idea of something coming to an end, like a fetus reaching the end of its development in the womb as implied by its pictorial form. 你可以将“已”与事情结束的概念联系起来记忆，就像它象形所表示的胎儿在母体中发育结束的样子。