Question 1

Structure analysis: Break down the character's components and explain how they relate to its meaning.

Accepted Answer

The character 魑 has the radical 鬼 (ghost or demon) on the left, which directly connects to its meaning of a mountain demon. The right part 离 (lí, meaning "to leave") gives a hint to the pronunciation chī and originally may have suggested the demon's nature of separating or departing.

Question 2

Memory technique: Provide a creative mnemonic or visual trick to remember this specific character.

Accepted Answer

Imagine a mountain demon (鬼) that is "leaving" (离) its cave to haunt travelers. Picture the left side as a ghost with a crooked leg, and the right side as a figure walking away, and say "chī" like "cheer" — the demon is cheering as it leaves.

Question 3

Writing tips: Describe the specific stroke order nuances, proportions, or common mistakes unique to THIS character.

Accepted Answer

The left radical 鬼 is written with a tall, narrow shape, ending with a curved hook stroke (㇁) at the bottom. The right part 离 has 10 strokes; a common mistake is making it too wide or forgetting the dot above the lower section. Keep both sides balanced and the right side slightly shorter than the left.

Question 4

Distinguishing from similar characters: Explain the specific differences between 魑 and the similar characters listed above (in meaning, usage, or visual details).

Accepted Answer

魑 (chī) means mountain demon, while 魍 (wǎng) means water spirit or monster — both are types of demons. 魏 (wèi) has the same radical 鬼 but the right part is 委; it is a surname or historical state name, not a demon at all. Visually, 魑 has 离 on the right, 魍 has 罔, and 魏 has 委.

Question 5

Usage context: Describe when and how this character is used in modern Chinese, including any cultural notes.

Accepted Answer

魑 is rarely used alone today; it appears mostly in the four-character idiom 魑魅魍魉 (chī mèi wǎng liǎng), meaning "all kinds of evil spirits" or metaphorically "vile people." This idiom comes from ancient Chinese mythology and classical literature, so you will encounter it in historical texts or formal writing, not daily conversation.

Question 6

What common words use 魑?

Accepted Answer

Common words containing 魑 include: 魑魅 (chī mèi) — mountain demons and evil spirits; 魑影 (chī yǐng) — shadow of a mountain demon; 魑魅魍魉 (chī mèi wǎng liǎng) — all sorts of demons and monsters.

Character	魑
Pinyin	chī (chi)
Meaning	Mountain demon
Strokes	19
Radical	鬼
Difficulty	4.2/5

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
魑 (current)	chī	19	鬼
魍	wǎng	17	鬼
魏	wèi	17	鬼
魔	mó	20	鬼

How to Write 魑 (chī) — Meaning “Mountain demon”

Practice Writing 魑 (chī)

How to Write 魑

What Does chī (魑) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 魑

Common Words with 魑

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 魑 (chī)

Frequently Asked Questions about 魑

Characters with Radical 鬼

Other 19-Stroke Characters