奚
How to Say
How to Write
Meaning: what?
💡 Think 'Xi' as in 'Xi Jinping' asking 'What?' in ancient times.
Compounds
Character Story & Explanation
奚 (xī) is a classical Chinese interrogative meaning 'what?' or 'why?', similar to Latin 'quid' or English 'what' in archaic contexts. It appears in classic texts like the Dao De Jing but is rare in modern Mandarin, where 什么 is used. The radical 大 (big) hints at a broad questioning scope.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
Your First Step into Chinese Culture: Get a Chinese Name
Every journey into Chinese begins with a name. Use our free Chinese name generator to create a meaningful, personalized Chinese name that fits you perfectly.
Get My Chinese Name →
0