姬 (jī) - Ji — originally meant 'beauty, elegance' & an ancient Chinese surname

姬Tone 1

jī ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

慧佳

姬 · jī

Ji — originally meant 'beauty, elegance';

an ancient Chinese surname;

a term for women performers or courtesans;

also used as a surname in modern times.

Ji — originally meant 'beauty, elegance'an ancient Chinese surnamea term for women performers or courtesans

Usage highlights

Ji surnameZhou Jibeautiful Jisongjidancejiimperial concubine

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 丑— ugly
  • 仆— servant (low status)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • She has the surname Ji (姬姓).
  • The Zhou dynasty royalty had the Ji surname (周王室姓姬).
  • In ancient times, it referred to a beautiful woman (美女).
  • The term 'songji' refers to female singers (歌姬).

Collocations

  • Ji surname(姬姓)
  • Zhou Ji(周姬)
  • beautiful Ji(艳姬)
  • songji(歌姬)
  • danceji(舞姬)
  • imperial concubine(王妃)

Idioms

  • The Beauty of Yu Ji(虞姬之美)
  • Chu Ge Surrounds the Four Sides(楚歌四起，霸王别姬)
  • Farewell My Concubine(霸王别姬)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • One of the oldest Chinese surnames, borne by the royal family of the Zhou dynasty.
  • Later extended to refer to women of beauty or performers, sometimes with a slightly derogatory connotation.
  • In modern usage, it remains a rare but historically significant surname.

FAQ