Definitions

(noun) season
(noun) last month of a season
(noun) youngest brother

Etymology

represents short stalks of grain, represents a young child. Based on the original meaning "youngest, small grains". The meaning later shifted to "crops", and "season".

About

The character 季, formed by the semantic elements 禾 (grain) and 子 (child), initially represented the idea of young grain or the youngest son, tying its identity to agricultural and familial hierarchies. From this core sense, it evolved to refer to the concluding part of a cycle, particularly the final month of a season, as harvests mark the end of growth periods. Subsequently, its application widened to signify seasons themselves, a meaning now prevalent in modern Chinese, demonstrating how its conceptual anchor in natural cycles facilitated a shift from specific agricultural stages to broader temporal units.

Etymology Hide

Oracle etymology image
Oracle (~1250-1000 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
Bronze etymology image
Bronze Spring and Autumn (771-476 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

春天是我喜欢的节。

Chūntiān shì wǒ xǐhuān de jìjié.

Spring is my favorite season.

一年有四个节。

Yī nián yǒu sì gè jìjié.

There are four seasons in a year.

这个度我们很忙。

Zhège jìdù wǒmen hěn máng.

We are very busy this quarter.

球队进入了决赛。

Qiúduì jìnrùle juésài.

The team entered the finals.

就要到来了。

Yǔjì jiù yào dàoláile.

The rainy season is coming soon.

他获得了比赛的军。

Tā huòdéle bǐsài de jìjūn.

He won third place in the competition.

节变化影响着经济。

Jìjié biànhuà yǐngxiǎng zhe jīngjì.

Seasonal changes affect the economy.

度气候适宜作物生长。

Běn jìdù qìhòu shìyí zuòwù shēngzhǎng.

The climate this quarter is suitable for crop growth.