羁 meaning and stroke order
Halter; to restrain, to hold, to control
How to write 羁, stroke by stroke
17 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 羁
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- bridle
- halter
- to restrain
- to detain
- to lodge
- inn
How 羁 is built
Ideographic (compound meaning) character. A leather 革 halter used to control 罒a horse 马.
Radical: 罒 (net), shared by 24 characters on this site.
How to remember 羁
Picture a net 罒 on top, with leather 革 next to a horse 马 below. A leather halter is like a net thrown over a horse to hold it back, so 羁 (jī) means to restrain or control.
羁 rarely stands alone in modern Chinese. It mostly appears in words like 羁绊 (jībàn, fetters, ties that hold you back), 羁押 (jīyā, to detain in custody), and 不羁 (bùjī, unrestrained). Example: 他性格放荡不羁。(Tā xìnggé fàngdàng bùjī.) He has a free and uninhibited personality.
Common mistake: Learners often write 马 on the left and 革 on the right, but the order under 罒 is 革 then 马. Also, do not confuse 羁 with 罹 (lí, to suffer), which shares the 罒 top but has a different bottom.
Common words with 羁
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 羁绊 | jībàn | trammels; fetters | |
| 羁押 | jīyā | to detain; to take into custody | |
| 不羁 | bùjī | unruly; uninhibited |
Questions about 羁
How many strokes are in 羁?
羁 is written with 17 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 羁 mean?
羁 (jī) means halter; to restrain, to hold, to control. A common word with it is 羁绊 (jībàn), meaning "trammels; fetters".
How do you pronounce 羁?
羁 is pronounced jī, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 羁?
The radical of 羁 is 罒, which carries the idea of "net". Dictionaries list 羁 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 羁?
The traditional form of 羁 is 羈 and 覊. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 羁 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
What does 放荡不羁 mean, and is it positive or negative?
放荡不羁 (fàngdàng bùjī) describes someone free-spirited who ignores social rules. It can sound admiring for artists and poets, but it can also suggest someone careless or wild, so context matters.
How is 羁押 different from 拘留?
Both relate to holding someone by authorities. 羁押 (jīyā) is a formal legal term for keeping a suspect in custody, often for a longer period. 拘留 (jūliú) is the more common everyday word for detention, including short administrative detention.