臍 meaning and stroke order
Navel; belly, underside
How to write 臍, stroke by stroke
18 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 臍
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (bound form) the navel; the umbilicus
- (bound form) the belly flap of a crab; apron
How 臍 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Flesh.
月 gives the meaning and 齊 hints at the sound.
Radical: ⺼ (meat), shared by 176 characters on this site.
How to remember 臍
The left side 月 here means flesh, so this is a body part. The right side 齊 (qí) gives the sound and can remind you that the navel sits evenly in the middle of the belly.
臍 (qí) is a bound form, so it usually appears inside words like 肚臍 (dùqí, navel) and 臍帶 (qídài, umbilical cord). It can also mean the belly flap on the underside of a crab. Example: 寶寶的臍帶剪斷了。(Bǎobao de qídài jiǎnduàn le.) The baby's umbilical cord has been cut.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 齊 alone or use 劑 (jì) or 擠 (jǐ), which share the same right side but have different meanings and sounds. Also, do not say 臍 by itself for belly button in speech. Say 肚臍 (dùqí).
Common words with 臍
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 肚臍 | dùqí | navel | |
| 臍帶 | qídài | umbilical cord |
Questions about 臍
How many strokes are in 臍?
臍 is written with 18 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 臍 mean?
臍 (qí) means navel; belly, underside. A common word with it is 肚脐 (dùqí), meaning "navel".
How do you pronounce 臍?
臍 is pronounced qí, in the second tone (rising).
What is the radical of 臍?
The radical of 臍 is ⺼, which carries the idea of "meat". Dictionaries list 臍 under this radical.
What is the simplified form of 臍?
臍 is a traditional character. Its simplified form is 脐, used in mainland China and Singapore.
How do you say belly button in everyday Chinese?
The everyday word is 肚臍 (dùqí). In casual northern speech you may also hear 肚臍眼 (dùqíyǎn).
Why is 臍 used when talking about crabs?
The flap on a crab's underside is called its 臍 (qí). Chinese people use its shape to tell male and female crabs apart: a pointed flap is 尖臍 (jiānqí, male) and a round one is 團臍 (tuánqí, female).