How to Say
How to Write
Radical: 欠 12 strokes
Meaning: interjection
💡 Think 'eek!' — a surprised exclamation from an ancient mouth.
Compounds

📚 Character Story & Explanation

欹 (yī) meaning in English —

Unearthing the character 欹 (yī), we find an ancient interjection echoing surprise or admiration. Its radical 欠 (qiàn, 'deficient') suggests an open mouth, while the phonetic 奇 (qí, 'strange') hints at wonder. In classical texts, it appears as an exclamation, like 'ah!' or 'oh!', capturing a moment of sudden realization or awe. This character is rarely used today, preserved only in literary fossils.

💬 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 →

Related Characters