How to Write 岌 (jí) — Meaning “High and steep; precarious”

Imagine a mountain (山) that is so steep that when you try to climb it, you "及" (reach) the top only by hanging on with great effort. This visual of a person desperately reaching upward on a cliff helps you remember both the shape and the precarious meaning.

Write the left radical 山 first (vertical stroke, then left and right downward strokes), keeping it narrow. Then write 及 with three strokes: a left-falling stroke, a horizontal hook, and a final outward sweep. A common mistake is making the 及 part too wide, which disrupts the character's balance.

岌 (jí) means "high and steep" or "precarious" and is used in danger-related phrases, while 屹 (yì) means "towering steadily" like a firm mountain. 屺 (qǐ) refers to a bare mountain without plants. Visually, 岌 has 及 (reach), 屹 has 乞 (beg), and 屺 has 己 (self).

岌 is rarely used alone; it appears mainly in the common idiom 岌岌可危 (jí jí kě wēi), meaning "in a very dangerous or precarious situation." You might also encounter it in classical poetry describing steep mountains, but it is not part of everyday conversation.

Common words containing 岌 include: 岌岌可危 (jí jí kě wēi) — In a precarious situation; hanging by a thread; 岌岌 (jí jí) — Precarious; in imminent danger; 岌嶪 (jí yè) — High and steep mountains.