积 meaning and stroke order
To amass; to accumulate; to store up; (math.) product (the result of multiplication); (TCM) constipation; indigestion
How to write 积, stroke by stroke
10 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 积
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to amass; to accumulate; to store up
- (math.) product (the result of multiplication)
- (TCM) constipation; indigestion
How 积 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Grain.
禾 gives the meaning and 只 hints at the sound.
Radical: 禾 (cereal), shared by 66 characters on this site.
How to remember 积
积 combines 禾 (grain) on the left with 只 on the right, which hints at the sound. Picture a farmer piling up grain stalks, one harvest after another, until the store grows large.
积 rarely stands alone in modern speech. It appears in words about building up over time, like 积累 (jīlěi, to accumulate), and in measurement words like 面积 (miànjī, area) and 体积 (tǐjī, volume). Example: 他积累了很多经验。(Tā jīlěi le hěn duō jīngyàn.) He has accumulated a lot of experience.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 积 with 织 (zhī, to weave), since both have 只 on the right. Remember that grain 禾 piles up, while silk 纟 gets woven.
Common words with 积
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 积极 | jījí | active; energetic | HSK 3 |
| 面积 | miànjī | area (of a floor, piece of land etc); surface area | HSK 3 |
| 积极性 | jījíxìng | zeal; initiative | HSK 3 |
| 积累 | jīlěi | to accumulate; accumulation | HSK 4 |
| 体积 | tǐjī | volume (amount of space an object occupies) | HSK 5 |
| 积蓄 | jīxù | to save; to put aside; savings | HSK 7-9 |
| 累积 | lěijī | to accumulate | HSK 7-9 |
| 大面积 | dà miànjī | large area; (fig.) (of a problem) (occurring) on a massive scale | HSK 7-9 |
| 积淀 | jīdiàn | deposits accumulated over long periods; fig. valuable experience, accumulated wisdom | HSK 7-9 |
| 公积金 | gōngjījīn | official reserves; accumulated fund | HSK 7-9 |
| 积雪 | jīxuě | snow; snow cover | |
| 堆积 | duījī | to pile up; to heap | |
| 积木 | jīmù | toy building blocks | |
| 积分 | jīfēn | integral (calculus); accumulated points (in sports, at school etc) |
积 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 积
How many strokes are in 积?
积 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 积 mean?
积 (jī) means to amass; to accumulate; to store up; (math.) product (the result of multiplication); (TCM) constipation; indigestion. A common word with it is 积极 (jījí), meaning "active; energetic".
How do you pronounce 积?
积 is pronounced jī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 积?
The radical of 积 is 禾, which carries the idea of "cereal". Dictionaries list 积 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 积?
The traditional form of 积 is 積. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 积 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 积 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 积 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
Why does 积极 mean 'active' if 积 means 'to accumulate'?
In 积极 (jījí), the meaning has become fixed as a whole word: positive, active, or enthusiastic. Learn it as one unit rather than translating each character. Its opposite is 消极 (xiāojí), negative or passive.
What does 积 mean in math?
In math, 积 means the product, the result of multiplying numbers. For example, 二和三的积是六 (èr hé sān de jī shì liù) means 'the product of two and three is six.'