藉 (jí) - To rely on & to use as a pretext

藉Tone 2

jí ｜ 17 strokes ｜ radical:

慧佳

藉 · jí

To rely on;

to use as a pretext;

a mat;

to tread on;

in disorder;

also appears in the surname Xi.

To rely onto use as a pretexta mat

Usage highlights

ExcuseTo rely onIn disorderTo use as a pretextStraw matTo tread on

Synonyms

  • 借— to borrow; to use as pretext
  • 凭— to rely on
  • 垫— mat; cushion

Antonyms

  • 还— to return (antonym to borrowing sense)
  • 整齐— orderly (antonym to disorder sense)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He used illness as an excuse (藉口) to skip the meeting.
  • They relied on their experience (凭藉) to solve the problem.
  • The books were scattered in disorder (狼藉) on the floor.
  • This is a straw mat (草藉) used in ancient times.

Collocations

  • Excuse(藉口)
  • To rely on(凭藉)
  • In disorder(狼藉)
  • To use as a pretext(藉故)
  • Straw mat(草藉)
  • To tread on(践藉)

Idioms

  • A scene of devastation(杯盘狼藉)
  • To die without a burial place(死无葬身之地)
  • To make use of(藉草枕块)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In ancient China, straw mats (藉) were commonly used for sitting or sleeping.
  • The character appears in the idiom '杯盘狼藉' describing a messy scene after feasting.
  • It can function as both a verb (to rely on) and a noun (mat) with different pronunciations.

FAQ