積 meaning and stroke order
To store up, to amass, to accumulate
How to write 積, stroke by stroke
16 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 積
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to amass; to accumulate; to store up
- (math.) product (the result of multiplication)
- (TCM) constipation; indigestion
How 積 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Grain.
禾 gives the meaning and 責 hints at the sound.
Radical: 禾 (cereal), shared by 66 characters on this site.
How to remember 積
積 is grain 禾 (hé) plus 責 (zé), which gives the sound. Picture a farmer piling up sheaves of grain, stacking his harvest higher and higher, and you have "to accumulate."
積 (simplified 积) appears mostly in compound words rather than alone, such as 积累 (jīlěi, to accumulate) and 面积 (miànjī, area). In math it means the product of a multiplication. Example: 他很积极。(Tā hěn jījí.) He is very enthusiastic.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 積 with 績 (jì, achievement), which has the silk radical 糸 instead of grain 禾 and a fourth tone. Also, 積 is first tone jī, not jì.
Common words with 積
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 積極 | jījí | active; energetic | HSK 3 |
| 面積 | miànjī | area (of a floor, piece of land etc); surface area | HSK 3 |
| 積極性 | jījíxìng | zeal; initiative | HSK 3 |
| 積累 | jīlěi | to accumulate; accumulation | HSK 4 |
| 體積 | tǐjī | volume (amount of space an object occupies) | HSK 5 |
| 積蓄 | jīxù | to save; to put aside; savings | HSK 7-9 |
| 累積 | lěijī | to accumulate | HSK 7-9 |
| 大面積 | dà miànjī | large area; (fig.) (of a problem) (occurring) on a massive scale | HSK 7-9 |
| 積澱 | jīdiàn | deposits accumulated over long periods; fig. valuable experience, accumulated wisdom | HSK 7-9 |
| 公積金 | gōngjījīn | official reserves; accumulated fund | HSK 7-9 |
| 積雪 | jīxuě | snow; snow cover | |
| 堆積 | duījī | to pile up; to heap | |
| 積木 | jīmù | toy building blocks | |
| 積分 | jīfēn | integral (calculus); accumulated points (in sports, at school etc) |
Questions about 積
How many strokes are in 積?
積 is written with 16 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 積 mean?
積 (jī) means to store up, to amass, to accumulate. A common word with it is 积极 (jījí), meaning "active; energetic".
How do you pronounce 積?
積 is pronounced jī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 積?
The radical of 積 is 禾, which carries the idea of "cereal". Dictionaries list 積 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 積?
積 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 积, used in mainland China and Singapore.
Why does 积极 mean active when 积 means to accumulate?
积极 (jījí) is a fixed word, and its meaning is not simply the sum of its parts. Just learn it as a whole: active, positive, or energetic, as in 积极参加 (jījí cānjiā, to take part actively).
What is the difference between 积累 and 累积?
Both mean to accumulate. 积累 (jīlěi) is more common and often used for experience or knowledge, like 积累经验. 累积 (lěijī) leans toward amounts that add up over time, such as numbers or points.