知 zhī know
How to remember 知: 矢 arrow + 口 mouth = know. Fast as an arrow, the quiz champion's mouth opens before the host even finishes, because she just seems to know everything.
Component breakdown
会意 · Meaning + meaning
Two or more parts whose meanings together make the new meaning.
知 = 矢 arrow + 口 mouth
- 矢 arrow sound
- 口 mouth meaning
Fast as an arrow, the quiz champion's mouth opens before the host even finishes, because she just seems to know everything.
How it came to be
It is built from an arrow beside a mouth; the arrow, once a drawing of an adult, came to give the sound.
How it is used
- Know / be aware: chiefly 知道 (zhīdào) to know a fact, 通知 (tōngzhī) notify, 知识 (zhīshi) knowledge.
- Knowing a fact is 知道; knowing a person is 认识 (rènshi): don't mix the two.
Characters built with 知
Words with 知
- 知道zhīdaoknowHSK 1
- 通知tōngzhīnotifyHSK 4
- 知识zhīshiknowledgeHSK 4
- 知名zhīmíngwell-knownHSK 5
- 众所周知zhòngsuǒzhōuzhīas everyone knowsHSK 6
- 得知dézhīto find outHSK 6
- 认知rènzhīcognitionHSK 6
- 一无所知yìwúsuǒzhīnot knowing anything at allHSK 7
- 不得而知bùdé’érzhīunknownHSK 7
- 不知不觉bùzhī-bùjuéunconsciouslyHSK 7
- 可想而知kěxiǎng’érzhī(it) goes without sayingHSK 7
- 告知gàozhīto informHSK 7
- 无知wúzhīignorantHSK 7
- 知己zhījǐto know oneselfHSK 7
- 知觉zhījuéperceptionHSK 7
- 知识分子zhīshifènzǐintellectualHSK 7
- 知足zhīzúcontent with one's situationHSK 7
- 知足常乐zhīzú-chánglèsatisfied with what one has (idiom)HSK 7
- 须知xūzhīkey informationHSK 7
- 鲜为人知xiǎnwéirénzhīrarely known to anyone (idiom)HSK 7
- 不知所措bùzhī-suǒcuònot knowing what to do (idiom)HSK 8
- 未知数wèizhīshùunknown numberHSK 9
Example sentences
- 我不知道这件事。 Wǒ bù zhīdào zhè jiàn shì.I didn't know about that.
- 他通知我去开会。 Tā tōngzhī wǒ qù kāihuì.He informed me that I should attend the meeting.
- 还不知道选举的结果。 Hái bù zhīdào xuǎnjǔ de jiéguǒ.We don't know the election results yet.
- 知识要靠阅读来积累。 Zhīshi yào kào yuèdú lái jīlěi.Knowledge is accumulated by reading.