How to Write 畿 (jī) — Meaning “Imperial domain / Areas near the capital”

Picture a field (田) with a crown on top of several threads (幾) — think of the emperor's domain as a woven fabric of land near his palace. Alternatively, remember that 畿 looks like a field (田) that is 'almost' (幾) the capital itself.

Write the top 田 first, ensuring it is wide and balanced. The bottom part 幾 is narrower; be careful to write the left side (幺幺) before the right hook (戈) — a common error is making the bottom too wide or mixing up the order of the inner strokes.

畿 has the bottom component 幾 (jī), meaning 'near' or 'almost,' while 畸 uses 奇 (qí, strange) and means 'odd' or 'irregular.' 畹 has 宛 (wǎn, curved) and means a unit of land measure. Visually, focus on the different right side parts to tell them apart.

畿 is mainly found in formal or historical terms like 京畿 (jīng jī, capital region) and 畿辅 (jī fǔ, capital outskirts). It is not used in everyday conversation but appears in place names, classical texts, or official documents referring to ancient imperial administration around the capital.

Common words containing 畿 include: 京畿 (jīng jī) — the capital and its surrounding areas; 畿辅 (jī fǔ) — Areas surrounding the capital / Capital outskirts; 畿内 (jī nèi) — Imperial domain / Areas surrounding the capital.