How to Write 唧 (jī) — Meaning “Chirp / Squirting sound”

Picture a bird sitting on a branch with its mouth open saying "jee jee." The left radical 口 looks like the open beak, and the right part 即 reminds you of the sound "jee." This visual helps link the character to chirping.

Write the left radical 口 first as three quick strokes, keeping it small and centered. Then write the right part 即 stroke by stroke: start with the horizontal fold, then two horizontals, a vertical, and finish with the vertical hook and final vertical. A common mistake is making the left 口 too big—it should be narrow to balance the taller right side.

唧 has the right side 即 (jí) and means chirping or squirting sounds. 呢 uses 尼 (ní) on the right and is a grammatical particle for questions or emphasis. 呣 has 母 (mǔ) on the right and expresses humming or hesitation. Visually, the right parts are completely different.

You see 唧 in sound words like 唧唧 (chirping of insects or birds) and 唧唧喳喳 (chattering noise). It also appears in 哼唧, which means to groan or mutter unhappily. This character is not common in everyday speech but appears in literature and onomatopoeia.

Common words containing 唧 include: 唧唧 (jī jī) — Chirping / Buzzing; 哼唧 (hēng jī) — To groan / To whine / To mutter; 唧唧喳喳 (jī jī zhā zhā) — Chirping / Chattering.