緊 meaning and stroke order
Tense, tight, taut; firm, secure
How to write 緊, stroke by stroke
14 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 緊
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- tight
- strict
- close at hand
- near
- urgent
- tense
How 緊 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Thread.
糸 gives the meaning and 臤 hints at the sound.
Radical: 糸 (silk), shared by 27 characters on this site.
How to remember 緊
緊 has 糸 (thread) at the bottom, which gives the meaning, and 臤 on top, which hints at the sound. Picture thread pulled hard until it is tight and taut.
緊 (simplified 紧) describes things that are physically tight and also situations that are tense or urgent. It appears in many everyday words like 紧张 (jǐnzhāng) and 赶紧 (gǎnjǐn). Example: 我很紧张。(Wǒ hěn jǐnzhāng.) I am very nervous.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 紧 (jǐn, tight) with 近 (jìn, near) because they sound alike, but the tones differ: 紧 is third tone, 近 is fourth tone. Also, in 不要紧 (bùyàojǐn) the meaning is "it does not matter", not "do not tighten".
Common words with 緊
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 緊張 | jǐnzhāng | nervous; keyed up | HSK 3 |
| 趕緊 | gǎnjǐn | hurriedly; without delay | HSK 3 |
| 緊急 | jǐnjí | urgent; emergency | HSK 3 |
| 不要緊 | bùyàojǐn | unimportant; not serious | HSK 4 |
| 抓緊 | zhuājǐn | to keep a firm grip on; to pay close attention to | HSK 4 |
| 緊密 | jǐnmì | inseparably close | HSK 4 |
| 緊緊 | jǐnjǐn | closely; tightly | HSK 5 |
| 要緊 | yàojǐn | important; urgent | HSK 7-9 |
| 無關緊要 | wúguān-jǐnyào | indifferent; insignificant | HSK 7-9 |
| 緊迫 | jǐnpò | pressing; urgent | HSK 7-9 |
| 緊接著 | jǐn jiēzhe | immediately afterwards; shortly after that | HSK 7-9 |
| 加緊 | jiājǐn | to intensify; to speed up | HSK 7-9 |
| 緊湊 | jǐncòu | compact; terse | HSK 7-9 |
| 緊縮 | jǐnsuō | (economics) to reduce; to curtail | HSK 7-9 |
Questions about 緊
How many strokes are in 緊?
緊 is written with 14 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 緊 mean?
緊 (jǐn) means tense, tight, taut; firm, secure. A common word with it is 紧张 (jǐnzhāng), meaning "nervous; keyed up".
How do you pronounce 緊?
緊 is pronounced jǐn, in the third tone (dipping).
What is the radical of 緊?
The radical of 緊 is 糸, which carries the idea of "silk". Dictionaries list 緊 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 緊?
緊 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 紧, used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 不要紧 mean and when do people say it?
不要紧 (bùyàojǐn) means "it's nothing serious" or "never mind". People say it to reassure someone, for example after a small accident or apology.
What is the difference between 赶紧 and 抓紧?
赶紧 (gǎnjǐn) means to do something right away, as in 赶紧走 (gǎnjǐn zǒu), leave quickly. 抓紧 (zhuājǐn) means to make good use of something or hold on firmly, as in 抓紧时间 (zhuājǐn shíjiān), make the most of the time.