How to Write 姬 (jī) — Meaning “concubine; lady; surname Ji”

Picture a noblewoman (女) standing next to a minister (臣) — a lady of high rank in ancient China. The minister serves her, reminding you that 姬 refers to a lady or concubine of the elite class.

Write the radical 女 first (3 strokes), then the right side starting with the top horizontal stroke, followed by the left vertical, then the inner components. A common mistake is making the right side too wide — keep it narrow and balanced, and ensure the final stroke of 女 (the diagonal) does not crash into the right component.

姬 (jī) means 'concubine' or 'lady' and is used in historical titles, while 妮 (nī) is a phonetic loan for 'girl' or a term of endearment. 妯 (zhóu) specifically refers to 'wives of brothers' (sisters-in-law). Visually, 妮 has a phonetic 尼 on the right, 妯 has 由, and 姬 has the more complex 臣 component.

姬 is rarely used alone today; it appears in fixed historical terms like 歌姬 (female singer) and 虞姬 (Consort Yu), or as part of the ancient surname 姬. Culturally, it evokes the elegance of court ladies and performers in ancient China, so it carries a classical, poetic flavor.

Common words containing 姬 include: 歌姬 (gē jī) — Female singer/performer (historical); 虞姬 (yú jī) — Consort Yu (a historical figure).; 姬姓 (jī xìng) — the Ji surname.