汲 meaning and stroke order
To draw water at a well; to imbibe
How to write 汲, stroke by stroke
6 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 汲
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to draw (water)
How 汲 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Water.
氵 gives the meaning and 及 hints at the sound.
Radical: 氵 (water), shared by 467 characters on this site.
How to remember 汲
The water radical 氵 on the left shows the meaning, and 及 (jí) on the right gives the sound. Picture your hand reaching down to the water in a well and pulling some up.
Today 汲 is mostly used in the word 汲取 (jíqǔ), which often has the figurative sense of absorbing knowledge, lessons, or experience. Example: 我们要从失败中汲取教训。(Wǒmen yào cóng shībài zhōng jíqǔ jiàoxùn.) We should draw lessons from failure.
Common mistake: Learners often write 汲 as 吸 (xī, to inhale) because the right side 及 is the same and the meanings feel close. Remember that 吸 has the mouth radical 口 for breathing, while 汲 has water 氵 for drawing water, and the two are pronounced differently.
Common words with 汲
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 汲取 | jíqǔ | to draw; to derive; to absorb |
Questions about 汲
How many strokes are in 汲?
汲 is written with 6 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 汲 mean?
汲 (jí) means to draw water at a well; to imbibe. A common word with it is 汲取 (jíqǔ), meaning "to draw; to derive; to absorb".
How do you pronounce 汲?
汲 is pronounced jí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 汲?
The radical of 汲 is 氵, which carries the idea of "water". Dictionaries list 汲 under this radical.
What does 汲汲 mean?
汲汲 (jíjí) is a literary expression meaning eager or anxious to get something, as in the idiom 汲汲于名利 (jíjí yú mínglì), to be bent on fame and gain. It usually sounds disapproving.
Can I use 汲 alone to say I am getting water?
In everyday speech people say 打水 (dǎ shuǐ) instead. 汲水 (jí shuǐ) exists but sounds bookish or literary.