How to Write 祇 (qí) — Meaning “Earth god / Only”

Imagine a clan (氏) kneeling before an altar (礻) to worship the earth god. This image reminds you that 祇 means "earth god," and its alternative meaning "only" comes from the idea that only this god deserves such devotion.

Pay attention to the right side 氏: start with a left-falling stroke, then a horizontal hook, a long curved diagonal stroke, and finally a dot. The diagonal stroke must be smooth and slightly curved; if it is too straight, the character looks unbalanced. Also, the left radical 礻 has four strokes ending with a small dot on the lower left.

祇 (qí) means "earth god" or "only," while 社 (shè) means "society" or "altar to the land god" and has 土 (earth) on the right. 祀 (sì) means "to worship" or "sacrifice," with the right side 巳 (snake). Visually, 祇 uses 氏, 社 uses 土, and 祀 uses 巳, so their right parts are distinct.

祇 is not a common character in daily Chinese; it appears mostly in classical texts or fixed phrases like 神祇 (shén qí, "gods and spirits") and 地祇 (dì qí, "earth deities"). In ancient Chinese religion, 神祇 combined heavenly gods (神) and earthly spirits (祇), so you may encounter it in historical or cultural discussions.

Common words containing 祇 include: 神祇 (shén qí) — Deities; gods; 地祇 (dì qí) — Earth deities; 祇灵 (qí líng) — Earthly spirit / Deity.