How to Write 译 (yì) — Meaning “To translate; to interpret”

Imagine a translator saying something 'again' (又) using 'words' (讠) from another language. You can picture someone speaking a sentence, then a second speech bubble with the same meaning in a different language — that repeated action is 译.

The left side 讠 is written first as two strokes: a dot and a horizontal-turning stroke. The right side 又 has only two strokes — a horizontal left-falling stroke and a right-falling stroke. A common mistake is making the right side too wide; keep the 又 compact so the whole character stays balanced.

译 (yì) means 'to translate,' while 讦 (jié) means 'to expose someone's faults' and 讧 (hòng) means 'to quarrel or feud.' Visually, 译 has 又 on the right, 讦 has 干 (gàn, a pole) on the right, and 讧 has 工 (gōng, work) on the right — each right component hints at a different meaning.

译 is most commonly used in the word 翻译 (fān yì) for 'to translate' or 'a translator.' You will also see it in 译文 (yì wén) for 'translated text' and 笔译 (bǐ yì) for 'written translation.' It appears in formal contexts like book titles, job titles, and language services.

Common words containing 译 include: 翻译 (fān yì) — to translate; translation; 译文 (yì wén) — Translated text; translation; 笔译 (bǐ yì) — written translation.