How to Write 汲 (jí) — Meaning “To draw (water) / to derive”

Picture a hand (the shape of 及) reaching down into a pool of water (氵) to scoop some up. The hand 'reaches' (及) into the water, so you remember 汲 as 'reach for water' to draw it out.

The left radical 氵 should be narrow and take up about one-third of the character space, with the three dots angled slightly. The right part 及 has only three strokes: first a left-falling stroke, then a horizontal hook, and finally a right-falling stroke—do not add an extra dot or stroke on top.

汲 (jí) means 'to draw water' and uses the water radical with 及. 㳄 (xián) means 'saliva' and contains 次 (cì, 'next') instead, so it relates to mouth fluids. 氿 (guǐ) means 'spring water' and contains 九 (jiǔ, 'nine'), describing a type of underground spring, not the action of drawing.

汲 is most often found in the formal word 汲取 (jíqǔ), meaning 'to absorb' or 'to draw lessons, knowledge, or experience.' It is also used in classical or literary contexts like 汲水 (jíshuǐ, 'to draw water from a well'). Though not common in daily speech, it appears in written advice and self-improvement phrases.

Common words containing 汲 include: 汲取 (jí qǔ) — To absorb / to draw (lessons, knowledge); 汲水 (jí shuǐ) — To draw water; 汲引 (jí yǐn) — To draw / to guide / to recommend.