Meaning of 挤
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to crowd in
- to cram in
- to force others aside
- to press
- to squeeze
- to find (time in one's busy schedule)
How to use 挤
挤 is used as a verb for squeezing things like toothpaste or milk, and for pushing through a crowd. It also works as an adjective meaning crowded, as in 地铁上很挤 (dìtiě shang hěn jǐ) The subway is very crowded. Another common use is 挤时间 (jǐ shíjiān), to squeeze out time from a busy schedule.
挤 has the hand radical 扌 on the left, so picture a hand pushing and squeezing. The right side 齐 (qí) means even or all together, so think of hands pushing everyone together into one tight space.
Common mistake: Learners often mix up 挤 (jǐ) with 济 (jì), as in 经济 (jīngjì). They share the 齐 part but 济 has the water radical 氵 and a fourth tone. Remember that 挤 takes the hand radical because you squeeze with your hands.
挤 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
挤 jǐ · to crowd in · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 挤.
Questions about 挤
What does 挤 mean?
挤 (jǐ) means "to crowd in; to cram in" and is used as a verb and adjective.
How do you write 挤?
挤 is made of 1 character: 挤 (9 strokes). That is 9 strokes in total.
Is 挤 an HSK word?
Yes. 挤 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
How is 挤 written in traditional Chinese?
In traditional characters, 挤 is written 擠.
What is the difference between 挤 and 拥挤?
拥挤 (yōngjǐ) is a more formal adjective meaning crowded, often used in writing, as in 交通拥挤 (traffic congestion). 挤 alone is more casual and can also be an action verb, like 挤进去 (squeeze in).
How do you say to squeeze toothpaste in Chinese?
You say 挤牙膏 (jǐ yágāo). Interestingly, it is also used figuratively to describe someone who only gives information bit by bit when pressed.