鸡 (jī) - chicken & fowl

鸡Tone 1

jī ｜ 7 strokes ｜ radical: 鸟

慧佳

鸡 · jī

chicken;

fowl;

rooster;

hen;

poultry;

also used in Chinese zodiac and various idioms.

chickenfowlrooster

Usage highlights

chickenroosterhenchicken soupchicken eggfried chicken

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • 鸭— duck (contrasting poultry)
  • 凤— phoenix (mythical vs. common bird)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • We raise chickens (鸡) on our farm.
  • I had chicken soup (鸡汤) when I was sick.
  • The rooster crows at dawn (公鸡在黎明啼叫).
  • She bought fresh eggs from the hen (母鸡).

Collocations

  • chicken(鸡)
  • rooster(公鸡)
  • hen(母鸡)
  • chicken soup(鸡汤)
  • chicken egg(鸡蛋)
  • fried chicken(炸鸡)

Idioms

  • Kill the chicken to scare the monkey(杀鸡儆猴)
  • Chicken feathers and garlic skins(鸡毛蒜皮)
  • Chicken flying, dog jumping(鸡飞狗跳)
  • A chicken talks with a duck(鸡同鸭讲)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The tenth animal in the Chinese zodiac, representing punctuality (rooster's crow), honesty, and flamboyance.
  • In Chinese culture, chicken is a common sacrificial offering and symbolizes prosperity and good fortune.
  • Red-crowned rooster is a symbol of the five virtues in Confucianism: literary, martial, courageous, benevolent, and trustworthy.

FAQ