敧 (jī) - To tilt & to lean

敧Tone 1

jī ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

慧佳

敧 · jī

To tilt;

to lean;

to be uneven;

an ancient vessel used for pouring wine that would tilt when full and right itself when empty.

To tiltto leanto be uneven

Usage highlights

Tilted and unevenLeaning to one sideTilted vesselInclined and unstableTilted capUnbalanced and leaning

Synonyms

  • 斜— slanting, oblique
  • 倾— to incline, to lean
  • 侧— to tilt, to slant

Antonyms

  • 正— upright, straight
  • 直— straight, vertical

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The tower leans slightly (敧斜).
  • He tilted his head in thought (敧侧).
  • The ancient wine vessel (敧器) was used to illustrate moderation.
  • The bookshelf is uneven (敧倾).

Collocations

  • Tilted and uneven(敧斜)
  • Leaning to one side(敧侧)
  • Tilted vessel(敧器)
  • Inclined and unstable(敧倾)
  • Tilted cap(敧冠)
  • Unbalanced and leaning(敧危)

Idioms

  • The vessel tilts when full(满则覆敧)
  • Leaning cap and crooked shoes(敧冠躧履)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The 敧器 was an ancient Chinese vessel that would tilt when full and right itself when empty, symbolizing the Confucian doctrine of the golden mean.
  • Used in classical texts to illustrate philosophical concepts about balance and moderation.
  • Appears in historical records as an educational tool for rulers about the dangers of excess.

FAQ