唧 (jī) - Chirp & squeak

唧Tone 1

jī ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

慧佳

唧 · jī

Chirp;

squeak;

to suck or sip;

onomatopoeia for the sound of birds, insects, or mechanical noises.

Chirpsqueakto suck or sip

Usage highlights

chirpsqueaksip teachirping of insectschirping soundsqueaking noise

Synonyms

  • 啾— chirp, twitter (usually for birds)
  • 吱— squeak, creak

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The birds chirped (唧唧叫) in the morning.
  • He sipped tea (唧茶) noisily.
  • The machine made a squeaking sound (唧唧响).
  • Crickets chirp (蟋蟀唧唧鸣) at night.

Collocations

  • chirp(唧唧)
  • squeak(唧唧响)
  • sip tea(唧茶)
  • chirping of insects(虫唧)
  • chirping sound(唧唧声)
  • squeaking noise(吱唧声)

Idioms

  • Complaining and grumbling(唧唧咕咕)
  • Chirping and buzzing(唧唧喳喳)
  • Whispering and murmuring(唧唧哝哝)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Frequently used in classical Chinese poetry to depict the sounds of autumn insects, creating a melancholic atmosphere.
  • Commonly appears in onomatopoeic reduplications (e.g., 唧唧, 唧咕) to mimic various light, repetitive sounds.
  • In modern usage, often describes mechanical sounds or faint human murmuring.

FAQ