礙 meaning and stroke order
To block, to deter, to hinder, to obstruct
How to write 礙, stroke by stroke
19 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 礙
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to hinder
- to obstruct
- to block
How 礙 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Stone.
石 gives the meaning and 疑 hints at the sound.
Radical: 石 (stone), shared by 114 characters on this site.
How to remember 礙
礙 is built from 石 (shí, stone) on the left and 疑 (yí, to doubt) on the right. Picture a stone blocking your path while you stand there doubting how to get past it. 石 gives the meaning, and 疑 hints at the sound.
礙 is the traditional form. Simplified Chinese writes it 碍, which is the form you see in the word list. It rarely stands alone and usually appears in words like 阻碍 (zǔ'ài), 障碍 (zhàng'ài) and 妨碍 (fáng'ài). Example: 你在这儿碍事。(Nǐ zài zhèr àishì.) You're in the way here.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 障碍 (zhàng'ài, a barrier, a noun) and 妨碍 (fáng'ài, to hinder, a verb). Say 有障碍 for 'there is an obstacle' and 妨碍别人 for 'to get in other people's way'. Also note that the phonetic 疑 is read yí, but 礙 is read ài in the fourth tone.
Common words with 礙
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 阻礙 | zǔ'ài | to obstruct; to hinder | HSK 5 |
| 障礙 | zhàng'ài | barrier; obstruction | HSK 6 |
| 妨礙 | fáng'ài | to hinder; to obstruct | HSK 7-9 |
| 礙事 | àishì | to be in the way; to be a hindrance; (usu. in the negative) to be of consequence; to matte | HSK 7-9 |
| 大礙 | dà'ài | (usually used in the negative) major issue; serious problem | |
| 障礙物 | zhàng'àiwù | obstacle; hindrance | |
| 礙手礙腳 | àishǒu'àijiǎo | (idiom) to be in the way; to be a hindrance | |
| 礙眼 | àiyǎn | to be an irksome presence (i.e. sth or sb one wishes were not there) |
Questions about 礙
How many strokes are in 礙?
礙 is written with 19 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 礙 mean?
礙 (ài) means to block, to deter, to hinder, to obstruct. A common word with it is 阻碍 (zǔ'ài), meaning "to obstruct; to hinder".
How do you pronounce 礙?
礙 is pronounced ài, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 礙?
The radical of 礙 is 石, which carries the idea of "stone". Dictionaries list 礙 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 礙?
礙 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 碍, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 没有大碍 mean?
没有大碍 (méiyǒu dà'ài) means 'nothing serious' or 'no major problem'. It is often said about an injury or illness, for example after a minor accident.
Is 碍事 always negative?
In its basic sense, 碍事 means 'to be in the way', so it describes a nuisance. In the negative, 不碍事 (bú àishì) means 'it doesn't matter' or 'it's no big deal', which is a reassuring phrase.