How to Write 砌 (qì) — Meaning “to build by laying bricks or stones”

Imagine a worker holding a stone (石) and cutting (切) it with a tool to make bricks for a wall. The two parts act out the meaning: stone plus cutting equals building with stones.

Write the left radical 石 first: horizontal, left-falling, then the 口 shape. Then write the right part 切: horizontal, vertical, left-falling, and finish with a vertical hook. A common mistake is to miss the hook on the last stroke of 切, so make sure it curves left.

砌 (qì) means building with bricks or stones, while 矶 (jī) refers to a rock or small island in water, and 矸 (gān) means waste rock or gangue. The right parts differ: 切 (cut) in 砌, 几 (table) in 矶, and 干 (dry) in 矸, giving each a distinct meaning.

砌 is commonly used in construction, like 砌墙 (build a wall) and 砌成 (construct into). In writing, 堆砌 (duī qì) means to pile up ornate language, often criticizing overly flowery prose. This reflects the idea of stacking bricks—too many words can feel like a heavy wall.

Common words containing 砌 include: 砌墙 (qì qiáng) — to build a wall; 砌成 (qì chéng) — to build into; to construct out of; 堆砌 (duī qì) — to pile up; to load with ornate language.