Definitions

zhī (noun) juice; liquid

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character "汁" has consistently represented a liquid substance, with its core composition remaining stable as a semantic-phonetic compound combining the water radical (氵or 水) with the component 十, which historically provided phonetic indication. While its graphic form, including the traditional version which is identical, has seen only minor stylistic adjustments over centuries, its semantic application has narrowed considerably. Originally used in classical texts to denote any kind of broth, liquid, or fluid secretion, its modern meaning has specialized almost exclusively to mean "juice" or "savory liquid" like soup or sauce, a shift that reflects a move towards more concrete and specific culinary applications in everyday language.

Etymology Hide

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

我喜欢喝果

Wǒ xǐhuān hē guǒzhī.

I like to drink fruit juice.

妈妈榨了新鲜的橙

Māma zhà le xīnxiān de chéngzhī.

Mom squeezed fresh orange juice.

这个菜的汤很鲜美。

Zhège cài de tāngzhī hěn xiānměi.

The broth of this dish is very delicious.

烤肉的时候会流出肉

Kǎoròu de shíhou huì liú chū ròuzhī.

When roasting meat, meat juices will flow out.

柠檬让沙拉更清爽。

Níngméng zhī ràng shālā gèng qīngshuǎng.

Lemon juice makes the salad more refreshing.

这种植物的液有药用价值。

Zhè zhǒng zhíwù de zhīyè yǒu yàoyòng jiàzhí.

The sap of this plant has medicinal value.

请把榨机的插头拔掉。

Qǐng bǎ zhàzhījī de chātóu bá diào.

Please unplug the juicer's plug.

书法家研墨时墨要浓淡适宜。

Shūfǎjiā yán mò shí mòzhī yào nóng dàn shìyí.

When an calligrapher grinds ink, the ink's consistency must be just right.