How to Write 骥 (jì) — Meaning “thoroughbred horse”

Imagine a thoroughbred horse (马) that is full of hope (冀) to win every race. Or picture the right part 冀 as a horse running north (北) across a field (田), showing its speed and ambition.

This character has 19 strokes, so be careful with the right side 冀. A common mistake is forgetting the small top part of 冀 (丿一丨) or mixing up the order of the 田 and 北 components. Write the left radical 马 first, then the right side.

骥 means a thoroughbred horse, emphasizing nobility and ambition. 骤 (zhòu) means sudden or to gallop, while 骦 (shuāng) refers to a pair of horses. Visually, 骥 has 冀 on the right, 骤 has 聚, and 骦 has 爽.

骥 is not common in daily speech but appears in classical idioms and literary contexts. The most famous is 老骥伏枥, meaning 'an old steed in the stable still longs to run a thousand miles,' used to describe someone with great ambitions despite old age.

Common words containing 骥 include: 骥尾 (jì wěi) — tail of a thoroughbred; 骥足 (jì zú) — feet of a thoroughbred; 老骥伏枥 (lǎo jì fú lì) — An old steed in the stable (still harboring great ambitions)..