咫

zhǐ

只 + 尺

Frequency#4196

Definitions

zhǐ 8 in. length unit of Zhou dynasty

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 尺 represents the meaning and 只 represents the sound.

Semantic: 尺 Phonetic: 只

About

The character "咫" is a phono-semantic compound composed of the semantic radical "尺", meaning a foot or unit of length, and the phonetic component "只", which historically indicated its pronunciation. Its original definition was a concrete unit of measurement equal to eight inches in ancient Chinese systems. Over time, the meaning evolved from this specific metric to denote a very short distance in a more abstract sense, frequently appearing in classical literary compounds such as "咫尺" to imply proximity. While its structural etymology clearly ties it to concepts of measurement, modern usage retains it almost exclusively within fixed idiomatic expressions rather than as a standalone term for length.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我们相隔咫尺。

Wǒmen xiāng gé zhǐchǐ.

We are separated by a short distance.

距离仅有咫尺。

Jùlí jǐn yǒu zhǐchǐ.

The distance is only a short span.

咫尺的路程很快走完。

Zhǐchǐ de lùchéng hěn kuài zǒu wán.

The short distance is quickly walked.

他家离商店咫尺之遥。

Tā jiā lí shāngdiàn zhǐchǐ zhī yáo.

His home is just a short distance from the store.

在咫尺范围内建立公园。

Zài zhǐchǐ fànwéi nèi jiànlì gōngyuán.

Establish a park within a short distance.

这座图书馆位于咫尺可达的街区。

Zhè zuò túshūguǎn wèiyú zhǐchǐ kě dá de jiēqū.

This library is located in a neighborhood within short reach.

虽然两人住所咫尺相邻，却很少见面。

Suīrán liǎng rén zhùsuǒ zhǐchǐ xiānglín, què hěn shǎo jiànmiàn.

Although their residences are adjacent at a short distance, they rarely meet.

现代交通使得天涯海角变为咫尺之间。

Xiàndài jiāotōng shǐdé tiānyá hǎijiǎo biàn wéi zhǐchǐ zhī jiān.

Modern transportation turns faraway places into a short distance apart.

Related Characters

Component: 只

Component: 尺

咫