系

係/繫
xì, jì
丿 + 糸
HSK 2.0Level 5
HSK 3.0Level 5

Definitions

xì (noun) system; department
xì (verb) to connect; to relate to
xì (verb) to bind; to tie up; fasten
jì (verb) to tie; to fasten

Etymology

Pictograph of a hand (又) holding a group of threads (糸) that are connected together (系).

Semantic: 糸

About

Originally a pictograph of a hand (又) holding connected silk threads (糸), 系 directly conveyed the act of tying, fastening, or linking. This physical image of binding later expanded into more abstract realms of systems, connections, and relationships. Today it appears in terms for academic departments (系), interconnected systems like the solar system (太阳系) and nervous system (神经系统), and the conceptual ties that unite separate elements into a coherent whole.

Example Sentences Hide

请系好安全带。

Qǐng xì hǎo ānquán dài.

Please fasten your seatbelt.

她是中文系的学生。

Tā shì Zhōngwén xì de xuéshēng.

She is a student of the Chinese department.

这关系到我们的安全。

Zhè guānxì dào wǒmen de ānquán.

This concerns our safety.

系统需要更新。

Xìtǒng xūyào gēngxīn.

The system needs to be updated.

他系了一条红领带。

Tā xì le yī tiáo hóng lǐngdài.

He tied a red tie.

这两个事件有密切联系。

Zhè liǎng gè shìjiàn yǒu mìqiè liánxì.

These two events are closely related.

宇宙的星系数量难以估量。

Yǔzhòu de xīngxì shùliàng nányǐ gūliàng.

The number of galaxies in the universe is hard to estimate.

这项研究涉及多个学科系。

Zhè xiàng yánjiū shèjí duō gè xuékē xì.

This research involves multiple academic departments.

Related Characters

Composed characters:

鲧 繇 緜 鯀 緐 縣 係 孫

Component: 丿

方 么 力 向 儿 水 少 必 展 万 师 失 千 毛

Component: 糸

紧 素 索 繁 累 紫 紊 絮 纂 彝 萦 綦 縻 絜

Example Words

系列 系统 联系 关系 一系列 系数 日系 没关系 维系 系带 联系人 体系 世系 化学系 参照系 参考系 品系 报系 外文系 大系 太阳系 嫡系 干系 坐标系