悸

jì

季 + 忄

Definitions

jì to palpitate

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 季 represents the sound.

Semantic: 忄 Phonetic: 季

About

The character 悸 (jì) is a phono-semantic compound with the left-side semantic radical 忄 (the vertical heart radical), which represents emotions or internal states, and the right-side phonetic component 季 (jì), meaning season or youngest sibling. The heart radical grounds its core meaning: a feeling of fear, trepidation, or a sudden rapid heartbeat caused by anxiety or shock. This originally emphasized the involuntary physical palpitation from emotional distress, a medical or psychological association that remains central to its use. It commonly appears in compounds like "心悸" (xīnjì), meaning heart palpitations, and "悸动" (jìdong), describing a sudden throbbing or emotional stirring, illustrating how the literal sensation extends to expressions of intense emotional apprehension.

Etymology Hide

Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我突然感到心悸。

Wǒ tūrán gǎndào xīnjì.

I suddenly felt palpitations.

他的心在悸动。

Tā de xīn zài jìdòng.

His heart is throbbing.

听到消息后她心悸不已。

Tīng dào xiāoxi hòu tā xīnjì bùyǐ.

After hearing the news, she had incessant palpitations.

事故让他心有余悸。

Shìgù ràng tā xīn yǒu yújì.

The accident left him with lingering fear.

每当想起那件事，我就心悸难平。

Měi dāng xiǎngqǐ nà jiàn shì, wǒ jiù xīnjì nán píng.

Whenever I think of that matter, I feel palpitations that are hard to calm.

在黑暗的森林里，他感到一阵莫名的悸动。

Zài hēi'àn de sēnlín lǐ, tā gǎndào yī zhèn mòmíng de jìdòng.

In the dark forest, he felt a strange throbbing.

她的心跳因恐惧而剧烈悸动着。

Tā de xīntiào yīn kǒngjù ér jùliè jìdòngzhe.

Her heartbeat was throbbing violently due to fear.

尽管危险已过，但那种心悸的感觉仍萦绕在心头。

Jǐnguǎn wēixiǎn yǐ guò, dàn nà zhǒng xīnjì de gǎnjué réng yíngrào zài xīntóu.

Although the danger has passed, the feeling of palpitations still lingers in my heart.

Related Characters

Component: 季

Component: 忄

悸