棘
How to Say
How to Write
Meaning: thorns
💡 Two trees (木木) with thorns between them.
Compounds
Character Story & Explanation
Excavated from oracle bones, 棘 (jí) depicts two thorny trees side by side. Its ancient form shows a grove of prickly plants, symbolizing thorns and difficulties. Used in words like 荆棘 (brambles) and 棘手 (thorny problem), it conveys both literal spikiness and figurative hardship. The character’s structure—two 木 (tree) radicals flanking a central element—evokes a dense thicket.
Example Sentences
Common Compounds
Similar Characters — Don't Mix These Up
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